BV  2625  .H4  1912 
Herrick,  George  F. 
Christian  and  Mohammedan 


Christian  and  Mohammedan 


CHRISTIAN   AND 
MOHAMMEDAN 


A  Plea  for  Bridging 
the  Chasm 


GEORGE  F.  HERRICK 

Fifty  Years  Missionary  of  the 
American  Board  in  Turkey 


New    York  Chicago  Toronto 

Fleming     H.     Revell     Company 

London  and  Edinburgh 


Copyright,  19 12,  by 
FLEMING  H.  REVELL  COMPANY 


New  York:  158  Fifth  Avenue 
Chicago:  125  North  Wabash  Ave. 
Toronto:  25  Richmond  Street,  W. 
London:  21  Paternoster  Square 
Edinburgh;      joo    Princes    Street 


Dedicated 

to 

The  Student  Volunteers 

°f 

America  and  Great  Britain 


An  Acknowledgment 

BUT  for  the  manifold  helpfulness  of  the 
life  companion  God  has  graciously  spared 
to  me  for  half  a  century,  this  book  as 
well  as  much  earlier  work  could  not  have  been 
undertaken.  She  has  been  at  once  my  home 
maker  and  my  golden  spur. 

The  name  of  Rev.  Henry  Otis  D  wight, 
LL.  D.,  might  well  have  accompanied  my  own 
on  the  title  page  of  the  book.  The  manuscript 
was  submitted  to  his  critical  judgment.  The 
final  form  which  the  material  took  on  was  largely 
due  to  his  literary  taste  and  experience. 

My  obligation  to  my  esteemed  colleague  dur- 
ing many  years  for  this  faithful  fraternal  assist- 
ance will  never  be  forgotten. 

G.  F.  H. 


And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up    .    .    .    will 
draw  all  men  unto  myself. 

— John  xii.  31. 


Contents 


Introductory   .    .    .    .    .15 


The  Cairo  and  Lucknow  Conferences — New 
Interest  in  Moslem  Peoples — A  Fraternal 
Mission,  not  a  Crusade — Our  Duty  not  to 
Repel  but  to  Win — Identity  of  Civil  and 
Religious  in  a  Moslem  State — Object  of 
the  Present  Writing — A  Series  of  Ques- 
tions— List  of  Correspondents. 


PART  I 
The  Inheritance  of  the  Past 

I.  The  Seventh  Century  in  Arabia  .  .        27 

Degeneracy  of  Arabian  Christianity — Mo- 
hammed's Indebtedness  to  Christianity — 
The  Debt  of  Islam  to  Judaism — The  Two 
Periods  of  Mohammed's  Public  Life — His 
Early  Years — The  Theology  of  Islam — 
Correspondences — Limitations — The  Doc- 
trine of  Sin — The  Fatherhood  of  God — 
Fatalism  and  Trust — Was  Mohammed  a 
Christian  Heresiarch  ? 

II.  Christendom's  Three  Darkest  Centuries       42 

Degeneracy  of  European  Christendom — The 
Golden  Age  of  Islam — Significance  of  this 
Contrast — Arab  Scholars  Heretical  Mo- 
hammedans— Answers  of  Correspondents. 

III.  The  Crusades  Deepen  the  Chasm  .  .        50 

Brief  Narrative  of  the  Crusades — Peter, 
Urban,  Richard,  Godfrey,  Saladin — Fruits 
of  the  Crusades — Hate  Towards  Chris- 
tians a  Moslem  Legacy — Answers  of  Cor- 
respondents. 

9 


\y 


io  Contents 

IV.        Islam  and  Oriental  Churches       .         .       60 

Five  Facts  Concerning  Oriental  Churches — 
Reasons  for  Moslem  Recoil  from  Chris- 
tianity— Comparison  of  Moslem  with  Or- 
iental Christian  Worship. 


PART  II 

What  Christendom  Now  Offers  Moslem 
Peoples 

V.  Material  Good 71 

Just  and  Impartial  Government — Material 
Prosperity  —  Social  Betterment  —  Educa- 
tion— Religious  Liberty — British  Rule  in 
India  and  in  Egypt — Lord  Cromer — 
Testimony  of  Missionaries  in  India  and 
in  Egypt — The  Dutch  East  Indies — Ma- 
terial Aids  to  Comfort  and  Power — Young 
Turkey  and  Christendom. 

VI.  Fruits  of   Christianity  that  are  Wel- 

comed     ......       85 

Education  in  Mission  Schools — The  Bible 
and  Christian  Literature — Scientific  Heal- 
ing— Relief  in  Times  of  Calamity. 

VII.  The  Ethical  Problem  ....       94 

Contrast  of  Christian  and  Moslem  Ethics 
— Our  Approach  to  the  Ethical  Problem — 
Dr.  Dwight — Comparison  in  Parallel  Col- 
umns Between  Gospel  and  Koran — Two 
Remarks  on  this  Comparison — Professor 
Macdonald's  Book. 

VIII.  The    Example   of  Christ   and  that  of 

Mohammed       .....      102 

Power  of  Christ's  Example — Our  Object 
Not  Criticism — Two  Facts  Met  on  the 
Threshold  of   Inquiry — The   Atrophy    of 


Contents  1 1 

the  Moral  Sense — Some  Moslems  Live 
Above  Their  Ethical  Standard — Sir  Will- 
iam Muir — Answers  of  Correspondents. 

IX.         A  Search-light    .  .  .  .  .119 

Why  Massacres  Occur  —  Degradation  of 
Women  and  of  Men — Moslem  Revolt — 
The  Bektashi  Dervishes — The  Kuzelbash 
Kurds  —  The  Mystics  —  Our  Sympathy 
Deepens. 


PART  III 

Fishers  of  Men 

X.  The  Christian  Missionary  and  Oriental 

Customs  .         .         .         .         .         .131 

Oriental  Courtesy  and  Reserve  —  Rev. 
Ahmed  Shah's  Testimony — Rev.  Dr.  R. 
Chambers. 


XI.        Controversial  Methods,  Expert  Testi- 


:  138  v^ 


lS$ 


Rev.  R.  H.  Weakley,  Rev.  Dr.  Wilson,  Dr. 
Zwemer,  Dr.  Dodd,  Dr.  Weitbrecht,  Rev. 
W.  Bader  and  others. 

XII.  The  Christlike  Life     .... 

The  Young  Japanese  and  Dr.  Parks — The 
Power  of  Christlike  Living  —  Korea, 
Uganda,  Coillard  of  the  Zambesi,  Mackay 
— Expect  Results  of  Such  Living,  Though 
They  be  Delayed — Answers  of  Corre- 
spondents— The  Opening  Door  to  Moslem 
Homes — From  a  Diary. 

XIII.  Converts  as  Leaven      .         .         .  173 

Oriental  Society — Solidarity  of  Race — Diffi- 
culties Facing  a  Convert — Answers  of  Cor- 
respondents— Mohammedan  and  Heathen 
— Life   Sketches,   Hafiz,   Sunduz,   Selim, 


1 2  Contents 

Ferhad,  Ahmed  and  Fatima,  Hassan, 
Keifee,  Shukri. 

XIV.  The  Missionary's  Creed        .  .  .      203 

A  Believer  not  a  Doubter — His  Doctrine  of 
Inspiration — The  Moslem  View — Rever- 
ence for  the  Very  Form  and  Record — The 
Virgin  Birth  a  Doctrine  of  Islam — An- 
swers of  Correspondents. 

XV.  The  Vision  of  the  Future  .  .  .211 

"  Evangelization  of  the  World  in  this  Gener- 
ation " — The  Panama  Canal — Dr.  E.  E. 
Bliss's  Message — The  Scope  of  the  Mod- 
ern Missionary  Ideal — The  Young  Mis- 
sionary— Missionary  Influence  and  Political 
Changes  in  the  East — A  Page  of  Autobi- 
ography— The  One  Need  of  Devotees  of 
Islam — Patience,  Sympathy  and  Their 
Fruits. 

Supplementary  Chapter 

The  Missionary  of  To-Day  .  .     225 

The  Old  and  the  New  Missionary  Ideal  not  1  / 

Opposed ;  a  Type  of  Development  and 
Growth — Change  in  the  Form  and  Direct 
Aim  of  Christian  Teaching — The  Mission- 
ary in  His  Relation  to  Governments — (a) 
To  His  Own  Government — (b)  To  the 
Government  Under  which  He  Works — 
Reminiscences  of  Missionary  Experience 
in  Turkey — Turkey  and  Italy — The  Mis- 
sionary as  Philanthropist — Scientific  Heal- 
ing— Relief  Work — The  Missionary  as  an 
Educator — The  Genesis  of  Anatolia  Col- 
lege— The  Missionary  as  a  Herald — The 
Vital  Element — The  Condition  of  Success 
or  Failure — The  Supremacy  and  Regnancy 
of  Moral  and  Spiritual  Forces. 


Illustrations 

Pilgrims    Around    the    Kaaba    in    the    Sacred 

Mosque  at  Mecca  .  .  .   Frontispiece 

An  Arab  of  Mecca 27 

Moslems  at  Prayer  .....       64 

Mussulman  Types.     Turks  and  Others     .  .       84 

A  Moslem  Cemetery,  Scutari,  Constantinople      120 

SirSayyad  Ahmad  Khan  .  .  .  .  .136 

Constantinople       .         .         .         .         .         .223 


13 


Introductory 


IN  the  spring  of  1906  the  city  of  Cairo, 
Egypt,  was  chosen  as  the  place  for  a 
gathering  notable  in  character  and  aim. 
That  old  city  is  crowded  with  historic  relics  and 
thrilling  memories.  East  and  West  there  meet 
but  do  not  coalesce.  Cairo  is  the  centre  of  a 
Moslem  population  of  ten  millions. 

In  January,  191 1,  at  Lucknow,  one  of  the 
Moslem  centres  of  North  India,  a  similar  but 
much  larger  gathering  took  place. 

Missionaries  from  many  lands  met  in  confer- 
ence on  these  two  occasions,  nearly  five  years 
apart,  with  a  specific  purpose  unique  in  the  his- 
tory of  modern  nations. 

The  members  of  the  conferences  were  specially 
qualified  by  study  and  experience  to  discuss  the 
condition  of  Mohammedan  peoples  throughout 
the  world,  and  their  relations  with  Christendom 
and  with  Christians.  Their  aim  was  to  secure 
intelligent  and  united  effort  for  the  evangeliza- 
tion of  Moslems.  The  conference  at  Lucknow 
enlarged  and  emphasized  the  action  initiated  at 
Cairo. 

Specifically  the  reports  concerning  Islam  in 
Russia  and  in  China  and  the  menace  of  Moslem 
15 


1 6  Introductory 

advance  in  Africa  were  presented  at  Lucknow 
with  exhaustive  thoroughness,  and  action  was 
taken  towards  the  establishment  of  a  school  at 
Cairo  where  candidates  for  missionary  work  for 
Moslems  can,  by  thorough  study  of  Arabic  and 
of  Moslem  literature,  be  specially  prepared  for 
their  work. 

The  results  of  these  conferences  have  been 
published,  with  the  hope  of  stimulating  in  Chris- 
tian lands  a  deeper  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the 
Moslem  nations,  as  well  as  more  fervent  prayer 
for  their  enlightenment  from  on  high. 

The  following  is  from  Dr.  Zwemer's  "  Intro- 
ductory Survey  "  given  at  Lucknow  and  found 
on  page  39  of"  Islam  and  Missions." 

"  The  changed  attitude  of  the  Church  towards 
Islam  is  evident  not  only  in  the  enormous  in- 
crease in  the  output  of  literature  on  the  subject, 
but  also  in  the  place  that  Islam  has  occupied  in 
conferences  and  missionary  gatherings.  Since 
1906  the  Annual  Conference  of  Foreign  Mission 
Boards  of  the  United  States  and  Canada  have 
appointed  a  committee  on  the  Mohammedan 
problem,  which  is  instructed  to  report  annually 
in  order  to  call  attention  to  the  special  prepara- 
tion and  training  needed  by  missionaries  among 
Mpslems  and  to  arouse  the  Church  and  mission- 
ary societies  to  the  needs  of  the  unoccupied 
Moslem  world,  and  the  peril  of  Islam  in  certain 
parts  of  Asia  and  Africa. 


Introductory  17 

«  This  Standing  Committee  has  already  done 
much  in  this  direction.  A  special  conference  on 
the  Moslem  problem  has  been  held  since  Cairo 
by  the  missionary  societies  of  Germany,  and  at 
the  Edinburgh  Conference,  Islam,  although  not 
represented  by  a  special  commission,  had  a 
larger  place  than  at  any  previous  world  con- 
ference." 

More  than  two  hundred  million  of  the  in- 
habitants of  the  earth  are  Mohammedans.  A 
peculiarity  of  all  these  peoples  is  that  they  hold 
themselves  more  or  less  aloof  from  Christians. 

That  the  condition,  moral  and  spiritual,  of  this 
vast  number  of  our  fellow  men  is  unspeakably 
dark  was  the  profound  conviction  of  every  mem- 
ber of  these  conferences.  But  followers  of  Jesus 
Christ  hold  in  trust  gifts  of  inestimable  value  and 
a  message  of  richest  blessing  for  all  the  world. 
Hence  it  was  deeply  felt  that  the  obligation  to 
bestow  those  gifts  and  convey  that  message  is 
insistent  and  urgent.  There  is  much  of  truth  in 
Islam.  Its  theology  is  based  on  Jewish  theology. 
There  have  always  been  Moslems  who  have 
eagerly  sought  after  God,  and  who,  it  is  reason- 
able to  hope,  have  found  Him. 

Yet  on  its  practical  and  ethical  side  the  re- 
ligion promulgated  by  Mohammed  has  always 
been  a  depressing,  not  an  elevating  moral  force 
in  the  lives  of  those  who  have  followed  him. 
All  close  study  of  the  Koran  and  of  the  history 


18  Introductory 

of  Moslem  peoples  only  makes  this  fact  the  more 
evident. 

Mohammedans  are  not  our  enemies  ;  they  are 
our  brothers.  We  have  no  war  to  wage  on  their 
religion,  much  less  upon  its  devotees.  We  are 
not  to  embark  on  a  crusade.  The  missionary 
enterprise  is  not  for  conquest.  It  permits  no 
compulsion,  no  physical  or  material  inducement, 
no  domineering  argumentative  scheme.  Its 
dynamic  is  not  the  imperative  of  duty ;  it  is  the 
impelling  power  of  high  privilege.  Instead  of 
arms  it  calls  for  the  fraternal  hand,  the  sympa- 
thetic heart,  the  persuasive  voice,  the  winning 
manner. 

This  was  Jesus'  way ;  missionaries  are  to  tread 
in  His  footsteps.  What  we  have  to  do  is  to 
make  men  acquainted  with  our  Elder  Brother. 
"  Go  make  disciples  of  all  the  nations,  teaching 
them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  com- 
manded you." 

Our  service  is,  by  Christlike  living  and  teach- 
ing, to  win  men ;  to  attract  them  to  love  and  trust 
Him  whose  mission  to  this  world  was  to  reveal  to 
sinners  the  love  of  the  holy  God,  their  Father. 

Nevertheless  missionaries  in  a  Mohammedan 
country  have  to  bear  in  mind  the  fruits  of  the 
prominence  given  by  the  people  to  material  in- 
terests. They  should  not  forget  that  in  a  Moslem 
state  civil  and  religious  affairs  are  one  and  the 
same,   in   fact   inseparable.     Every   government 


Introductory  19 

officer's  functions  are  both  civil  and  religious. 
For  example,  the  Sheikh-ul-Islam  in  Turkey  is 
not  an  archbishop;  he  is  the  highest  judicial 
authority  for  the  interpretation  of  the  Sheriat, 
or  Mussulman  Canon  Law.  But  at  the  same 
time  his  approval  is  essential  for  the  elevation  or 
the  deposition  of  a  Sultan  or  the  execution  of  a 
condemned  murderer. 

Christian  powers  face  serious  problems  in  their 
relations  with  Mohammedan  governments,  that 
is  to  say,  with  Islam  armed.  But  while  mission- 
aries have  to  understand  the  peculiarities  of  the 
country  in  which  they  dwell,  as  messengers  of 
Christ  they  must  leave  all  political  affairs  outside 
of  their  sphere  of  action. 

Missionaries  who  would  win  the  confidence  of 
Mohammedans  must  first  learn  to  look  with  their 
eyes  at  Christians  and  Christianity,  for  "  Chris- 
tians are  the  world's  Bible."  This  is  not  essential 
for  those  whose  object  is  to  better  the  material 
condition,  only,  of  the  people.  It  is  essential  for 
those  who  would  help  them  educationally.  It  is 
vital  for  any  approach  to  them  religiously. 

Unintelligent  and  unsympathetic  efforts  to 
force  an  entrance  into  the  inner  shrine  of  a  human 
heart,  appropriated  by  all  the  sanctities  and  sanc- 
tions of  an  ancestral  religion,  will  meet  defeat. 
The  very  offer  of  the  glad  tidings  that  the  mis- 
sionary is  to  convey  may,  in  such  a  case,  only  shut 
and  bar  and  seal  the  door  against  the  message. 


20  Introductory 

It  is  necessary  for  the  missionary  to  glow  with 
zeal  for  doing  good.  It  is  equally  necessary  for 
him  to  share  the  patience  of  God.  Let  the 
devotee  of  Islam  verily  "  see  Jesus,"  and  with 
Thomas  he  will  exclaim,  "  My  Lord  and  my  God." 
It  is  for  the  missionary  to  assist  him  to  attain 
that  vision. 

Earnest  desire  to  deepen  the  sympathy  of 
missionary  candidates  with  those  to  whom  they 
go  prompts  these  words,  as  well  as  that  which  we 
now  have  to  say. 

First  of  all,  then,  we  ask,  During  nearly  thirteen 
centuries,  through  what  glass  have  Mohammedans 
looked  at  Christians  and  Christianity  ? 

A  circular  containing  the  following  questions 
has  been  sent  to  about  one  hundred  and  forty 
missionaries  working  among  Mohammedans  in 
Turkey,  Egypt,  Arabia,  Persia  and  India.  Many 
of  those  addressed  either  failed  to  reply  or  pleaded 
the  excuse  that  their  special  work  was  for  non- 
Mussulmans.  Full  and  valuable  replies  have 
been  received  from  leading  missionaries  in  all  the 
countries  named.  No  surprise  will  be  felt  at  the 
variety  of  this  expert  testimony.  We  offer  our 
hearty  thanks  to  each  of  these  colleagues  in  our 
common  work. 


Introductory  2 1 

A  List  of  the  Questions 

i.  Among  Moslems  of  your  acquaintance  is  there 
any  considerable  number  somewhat  familiar 
with  the  history  of  Christianity? 
•2.  Do  such  men  distinguish  between  the  history  of 
Christianity  and  that  of  so-called  Christian 
nations  ? 

3.  Do   they  regard   the  Crusades  as  justifiable  on 

the  ground  of  Christian  zeal,  or  as  enterprises 
of  wanton  aggression  on  the  part  of  Europe, 
like  Napoleon's  African  campaign  ? 

4.  Have  you  found  Moslems  sensitive  to  the  moral 

degeneracy  of  Mohammed's  later  life? 

5.  Are  they  appreciative  of  the  amazing  moral  con- 

trast between  the  life  of  Jesus  and  that  of 
Mohammed  ? 

6.  As  to  controversial  methods,  do  you  invite  them 

or  only  accept  them  when  challenged  ? 

7.  What,  in  Christian  attitude  and  conduct,  have 

you  found  to  repel  Moslems  ? 

8.  What  have  you  found  to  win  them  ? 

9.  What  effect  is  produced  upon  Moslems  by  Modern 

Biblical  Scholarship,  when  this  is  known  to 
them? 

10.  Can    converts   from   Islam   be  kept   as   leaven 

among  their  own  peoples  ? 

11.  Is  it  harder  to  convert  Moslems  to  Christianity 

than  to  convert  heathen,  and  if  so,  why  is  it  ? 

12.  Are  you  more  charitable  to  Moslems  who  are 

convinced  of  the  truth  of  Christianity,  but  are 
unready  to  make  open  confession  of  their  new 
faith,  than  you  would  be  to  men  in  Western 
lands,  and  if  so,  why  ? 

We  have,  as  far  as  possible,  quoted  the  replies 


22  Introductory 

received,  under  the  proper  topics,  giving  full 
names  or  initials.  A  full  list  of  these  cor- 
respondents is  here  given. 


List  of  Correspondents 

Rev.  J.  R.   Alexander,   D.  D.,   Am.  U.  P.  Mission, 

Pres.  of  College  for  Boys,  Assiout,  Egypt. 
Rev.  Johannes  Avidaranian,  Philipopolis,  Dutch  Orient 

Mission. 
Rev.   W.   Bader,   Malabar,   India,  Evangelical  Miss. 

Soc,  Basel. 
Rev.  H.  N.  Barnura,  D.  D.,  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  Harpoot, 

Turkey,  since  1858;  died  in  1909. 
Rev.  Lyman  Bartlett,  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  Caesarea  and 

Smyrna,  1867-1903. 
Dr.  Arthur  K.  Bennett,  M.  D.,  Ref.  Ch.  Arabian  Mis- 
sion, Bassorah. 
Rev.  T.  Bomford,  C.  M.  S.  Sec'y,  London.     Formerly 

Missionary  in  India. 
Miss  C.  E.  Bush,  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  Harpoot,  1870- 

1906. 
Rev.    Robert   Chambers,    D.  D.,   A.   B.   C.  F.  M., 

Bardezag,  Turkey,  since  1870. 
Rev.   Thomas  D.   Christie,   D.  D.,  A.  B.  C.  F.  M., 

Pres.  Tarsus  Institute  College. 
Rev.   James  S.   Dennis,    D.  D.,   Missionary  of  Presb. 

Ch.,  Beirut,  Syria.     Author  of  "  Missions  and 

Social  Progress,"  etc. 
Rev.  W.  S.   Dodd,  M.  D.,  A.   B.  C.   F.  M.,  Talas 

Hospital,  Founder  and  Director  ;  now  in  Konia. 
Rev.   H.   O.   Dwight,  LL.  D.,  A.   B.   C.  F.  M.,  in 

Turkey  1871-1901  ;  Sec'y  A.  B.  S.,  New  York. 
Rev.  J.  Enderlin,  German  Pioneer  Mission,  Sudan. 


Introductory  23 

Rev.  W.  A.  Farnsworth,  D.  D.,  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.     Fifty 

years  Missionary  at  Caesarea. 
Rev.    W.     Goldsack,     Australian    Baptist    Mission, 

Bengal. 
Miss  G.  Y.  Holliday,  Am.  Presb.  Mission,  Tabreez, 

Persia. 
Dr.  F.  J.  Harpur,  C.  M.  S.,  Nile  Itineracy,  Egypt. 
Dr.   L.    M.    Henry,   Am.    U.   P.   Mission,  Assiout, 

Egypt. 
Mrs.   Helen  M.  Herrick,  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  Constanti- 
nople. 
Rev.  J.  H.  House,  D.  D.,  A.  B.  C.  F.  M„  Salonika. 
Rev.  Olaf  Hoyer,  Danish  Ch.  Mission,  Arabia. 
Rev.  S.   M.  Jordan,   Am.   Presb.  Mission,  Teheran, 

Persia. 
Prof.  D.  S.  Margoliouth,  Oxford,  England.     Author 

of  "Life  of  Mohammed." 
Rev.  E.  M.  McDowell,  Am.  Presb.  Mission,  Van. 
Rev.  J.  P.  McNaughton,  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  Smyrna. 
Rev.  H.  T.  Perry,  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  Sivas. 
Rev.  H.  H.  Riggs,  ex-Pres.  Euphrates  College. 
Rev.  H.  C.  Schuler,  Am.  Presb.  Miss. ,  Resht,  Persia. 
Rev.  Ahmed  Shah,  C.  M.  S.,  Hannipur,  India. 
Rev.  J.  G.    Shammas,   Syrian    Pastor,  Oorfa ;   died 

1909. 

Miss  Corinna  Shattuck,  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  Oorfa;  died 
1909. 

Rev.    W.    A.    Shedd,    D.  D.,   Am.    Presb.    Mission, 
Urumiah,  Persia. 

Miss  M.  Y.  Thompson,  Am.  U.  P.  Mission,  Cairo. 
Miss  Elizabeth  Trowbridge,  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  Aintab. 
Rev.  S.  V.  R.  Trowbridge,  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  Aintab. 
Rev.   R.  H.  Weakley,   C.   M.   S.   &  B.  &  F.  B.  S., 
Alexandria,  Egypt;  died  1909. 


24  Introductory 

Rev.   H.   U.  Weitbrecht,   D.  D.,  C.  M.  S.,  Lahore, 
India. 

Rev.    E.    M.    Wherry,   D.  D.,  Am.  Presb.  Mission, 

Lodiana,  India. 
Rev.    S.   G.    Wilson,    D.  D.,   Am.    Presb.    Mission, 

Tabreez,  Persia. 
Rev.  G.  E.  White,  D.  D.,  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  Marsovan. 
Dr.  J.  C.  Young,  U.  F.   Ch.   of  Scotland  Mission, 

Sheikh  Othman. 
Rev.    S.    M.    Zwemer,    D.  D.,    Ref.    Ch.    Mission, 

Bahrein-Arabia.     Author  of  "Cradle  of  Islam," 

etc. 


PART  I 
The  Inheritance  of  the  Past 


AN   ARAB   OF   MECCA 


THE  SEVENTH  CENTURY  IN  ARABIA 

WE  go  back  to  the  time  when  Islam 
arose  in  Arabia,  with  the  explicit  ob- 
ject of  putting  Arabian  Christianity 
and  Islam  in  contact  at  the  very  birth  of  the  latter 
religion. 

It  concerns  us  to  estimate  rightly  the  degree 
and  the  quality  of  Mohammed's  indebtedness  to 
Christianity.  When  he  was  born  Christianity 
had  existed  in  Arabia  for  more  than  five  cen- 
turies. At  the  beginning  of  the  seventh  century, 
certain  tribes  in  North  and  in  South  Arabia  were 
known  as  wholly  or  partly  Christian,  also  the 
little  kingdom  of  Hira. 

"  But  Christian  teaching  was  seed  sown  on 
stony  ground,  whose  product  had  no  power  of 
resistance  when  the  heat  came.  Christian  Arabs 
had  bishops  and  priests  and  churches  and  even 
heresies  of  their  own  ;  yet  we  cannot  to  this  day 
make  out  from  our  authorities  whether  the  Chris- 
tian Scriptures  were  ever  rendered  into  the 
vernacular  of  those  converts,  or  whether  only  the 
priests  had  religious  books,  and  these  in  a  lan- 
guage which  they  must  go  abroad  to  learn.  The 
last  is  most  likely  to  have  been  the  case,  and  to 
27 


28  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

have  been  one  of  the  causes  of  the  unresisting 
collapse  of  Arabian  Christianity."  ' 

"  Arabian  Christianity  was  already  beginning 
to  die  out  in  meagre  forms  of  doctrine,  ceremonial 
rites  and  superstition.  Christians  possessed  but  a 
very  imperfect  knowledge  of  their  faith." 2 

"  The  professors  of  Christianity,  occupied  with 
idle  musings  or  frivolous  dialectical  disputes,  had 
lost  sight  of  the  true  nature  of  their  religion  • 
Christian  societies  had  ceased  to  be  the  salt  of  the 
earth,  and  the  originally  simple  worship  of  the 
Church  had  become  sensuous  and  idolatrous." 3 

"  A  deep-seated  idolatry  in  Arabia  had  for 
centuries  stood  proof,  with  no  palpable  symptoms 
of  decay,  against  zealous  evangelization  from 
Egypt  and  Syria.  Christianity  of  the  seventh 
century  was  of  itself  decrepit  and  corrupt,  and 
rent  by  contending  schisms." 4 

The  Christianity  of  Egypt  and  Syria,  and 
of  Abyssinia  also,  was,  in  the  seventh  century, 
sadly  degenerate  from  the  Christianity  of  apostolic 
days.  It  had  fallen  quite  away  even  from  the 
teachings  of  Cyprian  and  Origen.  Specifically  ^ 
the  profound  doctrines  of  the  Trinity  and  of 
Christ's  Person  were  but  partially  apprehended. 
Still   more,   they   were  grossly,    bunglingly   set 

1  Margoliouth's  "  Mohammed,"  p.  30. 

*  Neander's  «  Church  History,"  Vol.  Ill,  p.  84. 

8  Guericke's  "  Mediaeval  Church,"  Shedd's  tr.,  p.  4. 

*  Muir's  "  Life  of  Mahomet,"  Vol.  I,  p.  236. 


The  Seventh  Century  in  Arabia       29 

forth.  It  is  no  wonder,  therefore,  that  Mohammed 
laid  the  greatest  emphasis  on  the  unity  of  God, 
and  the  blasphemy  of  associating  another  being 
with  Him,  as  spouse  or  son. 

Mohammed  had  no  acquaintance  with  true 
Christianity,  and  his  knowledge  of  Christianity  in 
any  form  was  very  meagre.  But  notwithstand- 
ing the  fog  and  darkness  that  shrouded  the  beauty 
and  glory  of  Christ's  character  from  Arabian 
eyes,  yet  Mohammed  himself  reverenced  Jesus  as 
a  great  prophet,  and  all  his  followers,  to  this  day, 
cherish  the  most  profound  respect  for  the  person 
of  Jesus  Christ.  They  always  mention  His 
name,  prefixing  to  it  the  most  exalted  title ;  His 
name  Son  of  God  they  reject.  They  call  Him 
Word  of  God,  and  a  great  prophet. 

It  is  important  to  remember  that  from  the 
very  origin  of  Islam,  among  all  its  devotees,  in  all 
lands,  and  to  the  present  day,  Christ  holds  an 
exalted  place,  and  His  name  is  profoundly 
revered. 

To  Judaism  the  indebtedness  of  Islam  is  far- 
reaching  and  profound.  Jewish  residents  in 
Arabia  were  many,  powerful  and  rich.  Even 
before  Mohammed  appeared  as  a  reformer  and  a 
prophet,  endeavouring  to  overthrow  the  almost 
universal  idolatry  of  his  fellow  countrymen  and 
to  restore  the  traditional  or  patriarchal  monothe- 
ism of  the  tribes  of  the  Arabian  peninsula :  "  The 
idolatry  of  Mecca  had  formed  a  compromise  with 


3° 


Christian  and  Mohammedan 


Judaism,  and  had  admitted  enough  of  its  semi- 
Scriptural  legends,  and  perhaps  of  its  tenets  also, 
to  steel  the  national  mind  against  the  appeal  of 
Christianity.  To  advance  the  authority  of  Abra- 
ham for  the  worship  of  the  Kaaba,  and  vaunt 
his  precious  legacy  of  divinely  inculcated  rites, 
would  be  a  triumphant  reply  to  the  invitations 
either  of  Judaism  or  Christianity."  ' 

It  is  manifest  that  Mohammed  and  all  his  fol- 
lowers have  sought  justification  for  their  low 
standard  of  social  morality,  and  for  their  treat- 
ment of  their  enemies,  in  those  parts  of  Jewish 
sacred  history  which  Christ  took  the  greatest 
pains  to  replace  or  "  fulfill "  by  such  teachings  as 
are  found  in  His  Sermon  on  the  Mount  (Matt. 
v.,  vi.,  vii.).  They  meet  our  criticisms  by  refer- 
ring to  the  books  of  Joshua  and  Judges  and  the 
lives  of  David  and  Solomon.  When  we  read  to 
them  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  they  are  silent 
or  "  turn  away  sorrowful." 

Divide  the  life  of  Mohammed  as  a  reformer 
of  religion  into  two  nearly  equal  parts,  of  ten 
years  each.  The  pivotal  event  is  that  of  the 
Hegira,  622  a.  d.  The  first  ten  years — it  was 
somewhat  more  than  ten — give  us  the  theology 
and  the  better  ethical  teaching  of  Islam.  The 
last  ten  years  exhibit  in  practice  the  ethical  bent 
and  tendency  of  the  system  under  "  prophetic  " 
example.  In  making  this  division  we  are  not 
1  Muiv's  "  Life  of  Mahomet,"  Vol.  Ill,  p.  235. 


The  Seventh  Century  in  Arabia       31 

unfaithful  to  the  facts  of  history,  and  we  gain 
much  in  forming  a  clear  understanding  of  what, 
as  Christians,  it  deeply  concerns  us  to  know.  If 
we  are  really  and  permanently  to  benefit  Mussul- 
man peoples  we  must  know  the  formative 
elements  of  their  life  and  character. 

It  is  not  at  all  necessary  for  us  to  deny  that  in 
those  earlier  years  there  was  much  evidence  of 
influences  working  upon  the  mind  of  Mohammed 
quite  above  the  ordinary  experience  of  uninspired 
men.  This  appears  in  those  portions  of  the 
Koran  then  promulgated.  Arabian  biographers 
do  not  call  our  attention  to  the  moral  contrast 
existing  between  Mohammed's  earlier  and  his 
later  life  and  teaching;  but  the  contrast  is  there, 
writ  large.  Carefully  observe  it  we  must,  or  we 
work  in  the  dark,  or  grope  like  the  blind  in  our 
honest  efforts  to  benefit  Mussulman  peoples. 

The  moral  degeneracy  began  with  the  first 
pronounced  success  of  Mohammed  in  securing  a 
substantial  following  soon  after  his  flight  from 
Mecca  to  Medina.  This  moral  degeneracy  ap- 
peared not  only  in  the  unlimited  license  of  his 
new  social  relations  but  equally  in  his  merciless 
treatment  of  those  who  persisted  in  opposing 
him.1 

It  was  in  628,  six  years  after  the  Hegira,  that 
Mohammed  sent  to  the  Emperor  Heraclius  at 
Constantinople,  as  he  did  to  the  other  rulers  of 
JSee  Chapters  VII,  VIII  and  IX. 


32  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

the  period,  a  letter  inviting  him  to  accept  his 
religious  teachings  on  pain  of  being  driven  out 
by  the  sword.  In  629  he  invaded,  in  person,  the 
Christian  territories  in  Syria,  but  died  before  he 
could  make  good  his  threat.  His  successors, 
however,  quickly  showed  the  Christian  world 
that  the  threat  was  no  brutum  fulmen.  The  war 
then  begun  against  the  great  Christian  Empire 
of  the  East  was  continuous  against  Christendom 
in  Western  Asia  or  in  Europe  for  a  thousand 
years  with  only  occasional  respites.  "  Fight 
until  the  enemies  of  God  are  converted,  submit 
or  are  killed."     This  was  the  order. 

It  is  not  necessary  for  our  present  purpose  to 
present  detailed  statements  either  of  the  theology 
or  of  the  prescribed  duties  of  Islam.  What 
challenges  our  attention  is  the  fact  that,  while  the 
theology  of  Islam  has  remained  unchanged,  and 
while  faithful  Mohammedans  observe  with  punc- 
tual fidelity  the  prescribed  duties,  and  while  some, 
at  least,  of  the  devotees  of  Islam  try  to  conform 
to  the  best  ethical  teaching  of  their  faith,  yet  the 
motive  to  worthy  living  is  in  contrast  to  the 
Christian  motive.  The  Mussulman's  motive  is 
the  hope  of  gaining  merit  before  God,  and  the 
hope  of  reward  in  a  sensual  Paradise.  The 
Christian's  motive  is  his  vision  of  God  in  Christ. 
This  leads  him,  through  the  dominion  of  his 
spiritual  over  his  animal  nature,  to  aspire  to 
communion  with  a  holy  God,  his  loving  Father. 


The  Seventh  Century  in  Arabia       33 

It  is  in  the  later  life  of  the  Arabian  prophet, 
and  in  later  portions  of  the  Koran,  that  we  trace 
to  their  inevitable  issue  the  low  motives  to  virtue, 
taught  and  illustrated  by  example,  which  have 
had  such  baleful  influence  upon  Mussulman 
peoples.  Low  conceptions  of  the  future  life 
result  in  low  living  here.1 

The  Theology  of  Islam 
This  is  based  on  the  theology  of  the  Jewish 
Scriptures  and  on  Jewish  interpretation  of  those 
Scriptures.  There  is  external  evidence  of  this 
but  the  internal  evidence  of  correspondence  is  all- 
sufficient,  even  if  we  had  to  rely  on  that  alone. 

There  is  no  divine  attribute  proclaimed  in  the 
Old  Testament  which  is  not  found  among  the 
ninety-nine  names  of  God  which  the  Mussulman 
recites  as  often  as  he  tells  over  his  string  of  beads. 

Correspondences 

God's  necessary,  uncaused,  eternal  existence, 
His  freedom  from  the  conditions  of  time  and 
place,  His  majesty,  His  omnipotence,  omnis- 
cience, omnipresence  are  all  proclaimed  in  Islam 
with  a  fullness  and  explicitness  that  rival  that  of 
any  creed  of  Christendom.  The  unity  of  God  is 
not  only  proclaimed;  it  is  emphasized  affirm- 
atively and  polemically. 

Coming  to  the  moral  attributes  of  God,  with 

1  We  again  refer  to  Chapters  VII,  VIII  and  IX. 


34  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

two  important  exceptions,  mentioned  below, 
every  attribute  found  in  Jewish  or  Christian 
theology  is  also  clearly  and  repeatedly  expressed 
in  the  theology  of  Islam.  Divine  justice,  holi- 
ness, truth,  grace,  pardon  are  explicitly  taught. 
Mussulman,  Jew  and  Christian  can  together,  in 
fraternal  accord,  worship  the  One  God  who  pro- 
claimed His  law  on  Sinai,  who  is  slow  to  anger, 
of  great  mercy  and  ready  to  forgive  the  penitent 
sinner. 

Limitations 

It  is  not  claimed — it  would  be  false  to  claim — 
that  the  conception  which  the  Mussulman  has  of 
God  does  not  differ  from  that  of  the  intelligent, 
devout  Christian.  The  Mussulman's  conception 
of  God  closely  resembles  that  of  the  typical  Jew 
of  prophetic  times.  Even  a  Hebrew  prophet 
was  angry  with  God  because  He  extended  the 
same  mercy  to  repentant  Ninevites  that  He  did 
to  penitent  Israelites. 

Has  not  the  same  crudity  of  apprehension  of 
man's  relation  to  God  found  place  often  among 
devout  and  even  very  intelligent  Christians? 
Have  conceit  of  superior  attainment  in  holiness, 
and  claims  upon  heavenly  blessings  been  rare  in 
any  period  of  church  history  ?  Mr.  Froude 
represents  the  Puritans  of  England  as  quite  sure 
that  they  were  the"  favourites  of  the  Most  High." 
Consider  the  infantile  conception  which  a  South 


The  Seventh  Century  in  Arabia       35 

Sea  Christian  islander  has  of  the  being  and  at- 
tributes of  God. 

Among  intelligent  and  devout  Christian  men 
of  the  same  country  and  of  the  same  period  of 
time  the  difference  in  the  apprehension  gained 
of  the  divine  Being  and  His  attributes  is  very 
great.  One  man  bows  in  awe  before  God  as 
sovereign.  Another  approaches  Him  in  filial 
confidence  as  Father.  One  man,  under  a  deep 
sense  of  sin  and  the  lash  of  an  awakened  con- 
science, dares  not  face  the  Judge  of  men  till  he 
has  consciously  taken  refuge  in  the  shadow  of 
the  cross  of  Christ.  Another  goes  "  singing  all 
the  way  to  heaven." 

In  different  periods  of  the  life  of  the  Church 
the  types  of  accepted  theology  show  great 
variety  ;  and  this  variety  presents  differing  phases 
among  Western  and  Eastern  Christians.  To-day 
many  Christians  see  God  specially  revealed  in 
Christ.  They  contemplate  in  Jesus  "  the  human 
life  of  God." 

A  Japanese  or  Korean  or  African  Christian 
differs  from  a  Scottish  Christian  more  than  a 
Christian  of  Turkey  differs  from  a  Mussulman  of 
Turkey  in  his  conception  of  the  God  whom  they 
worship.  Each  grants  that  the  other  worships 
God. 

At  the  Cairo  Conference  a  very  intelligent 
gentleman  who  was  born  a  Mussulman  and  had 
embraced  Christianity  and  become  a  Bible  trans- 


36  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

lator  and  author  was  asked, "  Is  the  God  you 
now  adore  the  same  or  another  than  the  God  you 
adored  when  a  Mohammedan?"  He  replied, 
"  The  same." 

We  give  here  as  samples  of  the  noble  things  in 
the  Koran  (in  great  contrast  to  quotations  given 
in  Chapter  VII)  Sura  I  entire,  an  early  Meccan 
Sura,  and  an  extract  from  Sura  XXIV  of  much 
later  date. 

"  Praise  be  to  God,  the  Lord  of  Creation, 
The  all-merciful,  the  all-compassionate, 
Ruler  of  the  Day  of  Reckoning  ! 

Thee  we  worship  ;  Thee  we  invoke  for  help. 
Lead  us  in  the  straight  path, 
The  path  of  those  unto  whom  Thou  hast  been 

gracious. 
Not  of  those  that  are  objects  of  wrath,  or  that 
are  in  error." 

"  What  !  seest  thou  not  that  unto  God 
Giveth  praise  every  thing  that  is  in  the  heaven 

and  in  the  earth, 
The  birds  in  a  well-ordered  line, — 
Truly  every  one  knoweth  his  prayer  and  his 

hymn  of  praise, 
And  God  knoweth  whatsoever  ye  do, 
And  unto  God  belongeth  the  kingdom  of  the 

heavens,  and  of  the  earth, 
And  unto  God  shall  all  return." 

The  Doctrine  of  Sin 
The  Islamic  doctrine  concerning  sin,  and  con- 
cerning pardon  for  sin  solely  on  condition   of 


The  Seventh  Century  in  Arabia       37 

repentance,  without  any  atonement,  colours  the 
conception  which  every  Mussulman  entertains 
regarding  every  one  of  God's  moral  attributes. 
When  we  come  to  consider  Islam  in  its  later 
ethical  development  this  will  become  startlingly 
evident. 

The  Fatherhood  of  God 
The  very  heart  of  the  New  Testament,  and  of 
the  mission  of  Jesus  Christ  to  our  world,  is  the 
revelation,  in  His  teaching,  in  His  life  and  in  His 
death,  of  God  as  our  Father.  Jesus  brought  the 
revelation  of  God's  paternal,  yearning,  self- 
sacrificing  love  for  men,  His  longing  to  restore 
them  to  communion  with  Himself,  to  bestow 
upon  them  immortality  in  sinless  service,  gladly 
rendered  to  Him.  But  this  doctrine  finds  no 
place  in  Mohammedan  theology.  Nay,  it  is 
violently  excluded,  and  all  doors  of  entrance 
closed  and  barred  against  it.  Some  Moham- 
medans indeed  understand,  at  least  in  part,  what 
we  mean  when  we  speak  of  God  as  our  Father, 
even  when  the  old  recoil  against  the  doctrine  of 
the  Trinity  still  refuses  to  Jesus  Christ  the  name 
Son  of  God. 

It  may  be  hoped  that  the  recent  progress 
in  the  appreciation  by  Mohammedans  of  the 
brotherhood  of  men  will  show  them  that  the  road 
they  have  begun  to  travel  leads  directly  to  the 
related  truth  that  God  is  our  Father,  and  that 


38  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

in  Jesus  of  Nazareth  He  has,  as  never  before  or 
since,  revealed  Himself  to  men  in  a  glory  and 
a  beauty  which  is  to  be  our  model  of  char- 
acter. 

Such  a  conception  of  God  as  this  was  very  far 
from  being  set  before  the  mind  of  Mohammed  by 
Arabian  Christians  at  the  beginning  of  the 
seventh  century.  They  had  the  idea  in  the 
Gospels,  but  their  minds  did  not  grasp  it  and 
could  not  convey  it.  The  value  of  the  boon 
conferred  upon  themselves  they  could  not  weigh. 
The  most  precious  jewel  of  their  faith  was  first 
obscured  by  false  doctrine  and  then  carelessly 
trodden  in  the  mire  of  selfish  and  sensual  living. 
They  had  indeed  made  known  to  pagan  Arabs 
the  historic  Christ,  though  imperfectly.  They 
had  utterly  failed  to  live  Him  before  their 
countrymen. 

Islam — Surrender  to  God 
It  is  commonly  held  that  Islam  is  a  religion  of 
fatalism,  teaching  that  God  is  the  author  of  both 
good  and  evil,  that  man  has  not  free  will  but  is  under 
a  law  of  necessity,  and  therefore  that  he  is  not  re- 
sponsible for  his  own  acts,  whether  good  or  bad. 
There  is  much  to  give  plausibility  to  this  view. 
There  is  no  excuse  so  common  among  Moham- 
medans for  a  confessedly  wrong  act  as,  "  I  was 
obliged  to  do  so."  But  the  name  of  the  religion, 
Islam,  means  surrender,  that  is,  surrender  to  God, 


The  Seventh  Century  in  Arabia       39 

And  in  practical  life  we  find  that  men  acknowl- 
edge that  it  is  their  duty  to  do  right.  Their  con- 
sciences hold  them  to  this.  One  day,  many 
years  ago,  the  writer  was  crossing  the  Golden 
Horn  with  three  other  persons,  two  Greeks  and  a 
Mussulman  Persian.  It  was  the  time  of  a  great 
cholera  scare,  and  many  men  were  hastily  leav- 
ing the  city.  On  the  mention  of  this  by  one  of 
the  Greeks,  the  Persian  merchant  said,  "  At  a 
time  like  this  there  is  but  one  thing  to  flee  from 
and  that  is  sin ;  there  is  but  one  refuge  to  flee  to 
and  that  is  God." 

On  another  occasion,  also  many  years  ago, 
when  my  children  were  young,  they  went  one 
day  for  a  row  on  the  Bosphorus.  Dark  clouds 
gathered  ;  the  wind  rose ;  their  mother  looked 
from  the  window  with  anxiety  towards  the  water. 
A  wholly  uneducated  Mussulman  woman,  a 
neighbour  living  just  opposite,  asked  the  cause  of 
the  mother's  anxiety,  and  on  being  told,  said, 
"  Trust  in  God  ;  trust  in,  God." 

One  often  sees  impressive  evidence  in  the  lives 
of  Mohammedans  that  Islam,  surrender  to  God, 
has  very  real  and  practical  meaning  and  in- 
fluence. It  sometimes  carries  men  calmly 
through  the  last  mortal  agonies.  In  affairs, 
grave  and  critical  to  the  last  degree,  is  sometimes 
seen  a  surrender  not  to  Fate,  but  to  God,  which 
may  well  stimulate  our  own  loyal  trust  in  Him  as 
our  Father. 


4-0  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

Was  Mohammed  a  Christian  Heresiarch  ? 

Dr.  Johannes  Lepsius,  in  an  able  paper  read  at 
the  Cairo  Conference  of  1906,  set  down  Moham- 
medans as  a  degenerate  Jewish-Christian  sect 
and  defended  the  somewhat  startling  proposition 
with  great  cogency.  In  view  of  the  fact  that  it 
has  been  customary,  and  that  under  the  lead  of 
very  able  scholars,  to  treat  Islam  as  a  separate 
and  independent  religion,  it  requires  a  certain 
boldness  on  our  part  to  endorse  unequivocally 
the  position  taken  and  defended  by  Dr.  Lepsius. 
Yet  this  view  is  by  no  means  new.  It  is  found 
in  church  fathers  of  the  seventh  century.1 

It  alone  is  consistent  with  a  correct  reading  of 
the  history  of  Islam  in  its  origin  and  during  the 
early  years  of  its  spread  in  Arabia.  This  view 
explains  the  early  intention  of  Mohammed  to 
make  common  cause  with  Jews  and  Christians  in 
his  conflict  with  the  prevailing  idolatry.  It  also 
explains  the  bitter  hostility  of  Mohammed  to 
Jews,  after  his  own  position  had  gained  strength 
at  Medina,  when  he  found  the  difficulties  of 
working  with  Jews  increasing  in  his  path. 

It  was  when  he  abandoned  all  compromise 
with  both  Judaism  and  Christianity  that  his  life 
began  to  exhibit  that  moral  degeneracy  which 
was  so  conspicuous  in  his  later  years.  For  all 
that  it  has  of  good  Islam  is  indebted  to  Judaism 
and  Christianity.  In  respect  of  what  is  essential 
1  See  Stanley's  "  Eastern  Church,"  p.  303. 


The  Seventh  Century  in  Arabia       41 

this  is  true  beyond  question,  however  greatly  the 
dress  in  which  Jewish  and  Christian  teaching  is 
clothed  has  been  changed  in  the  Koran. 

How  far  from  an  improvement  is  the  garniture 
of  Bible  narratives  found  in  the  Koran  is  well  il- 
lustrated by  this  remark  of  a  learned  Arab,  a 
dear  friend  of  mine :  "  The  thing  which  finally 
led  me  to  reject  the  Koran  and  accept  the  Bible 
was  a  comparison  of  the  narrative  of  Solomon 
given  in  the  two  books." 


II 

CHRISTENDOM'S  THREE  DARKEST 
'    CENTURIES 

THE  ninth,  tenth  and  eleventh  centuries 
form  the  darkest  period  in  the  whole 
history  of  Christianity  and  especially  of 
Christian  Europe.  The  preceding  period,  from 
the  accession  of  the  First  Gregory,  called  the 
Great,  to  the  Papal  Chair,  in  590,  until  the  death 
of  the  Emperor  Charlemagne  in  814  had  been  a 
period  of  marked  and  wide-spread  missionary 
activity  in  Central  and  Northern  Europe.  The 
Christianization  of  the  Bulgarian  people,  under 
the  efforts  of  the  brothers  Cyril  and  Methodius, 
falls  into  the  last  half  of  the  ninth  century. 

The  great  missionary  names  of  the  Church  in 
the  period  from  590  to  814  are  the  venerable 
Bede,  673-735,  Boniface,  the  father  of  German 
Christianity,  680-755,  Benedict,  750-82 1,  Alcuin, 
the  great  counsellor  of  the  Emperor  Charlemagne, 
735-804,  and  Anschar,  missionary  to  Denmark 
and  Sweden,  801-865.  Centuries  passed  away 
before  missionary  zeal  was  reawakened. 

No  careful  reader  of  the  history  of  the  Church 
in  the  tenth  century  can  gaze  without  shudder- 
ing   at    the   lurid,   the   horrible,   the   well-nigh 
42 


Christendom's  Three  Darkest  Centuries   43 

incredible  picture  of  degeneracy  which  the 
record  presents.  How  violently  such  "  Chris- 
tianity "  must  repel  a  devotee  of  Islam !  "  At 
Rome  itself,  the  centre  of  Christendom,  the 
vilest  vices  of  the  times  of  Tiberius  or  of  Caligula 
fiercely  reappeared.  Just  previous  to  the  acces- 
sion of  Sergius  III  in  904  there  had  been  nine 
popes  in  thirteen  years.  Under  Sergius  came  to 
power  the  famous  trio  of  courtesans,  Theodora, 
the  mother,  her  daughters  Theodora  and  Marozia. 
Her  grandson  John  XII,  made  pope  at  nineteen 
years  of  age  in  956,  led  a  life  too  vile  to  be  re- 
ported. Simony,  cruelty,  licentiousness,  perjury, 
sacrilege  ran  riot." ' 

Before  the  eleventh  century  ended  this  darkest 
period  came  to  a  close.  Gregory  VII  became 
pope  in  1073,  and  while  no  countenance  can  be 
given  to  his  stupendous  claim,  as  God's  vicegerent, 
to  universal  dominion,  yet  it  is  fully  acknowl- 
edged that  he  made  the  first  strong  stand  against 
the  terrible  degeneracy  of  Christendom  which 
had  continued  unchecked  till  his  time. 

Turning  to  the  history  of  Islam,  or  rather  to 
the  history  of  the  leading  Mussulman  peoples  of 
this  period,  we  are  struck  with  the  amazing  con- 
trast.    It  was  the  golden  age  of  Islam. 

Both  in  the  East  and  in  the  West,  at  Bagdad 

'We  quote  from  Dr.  R.  S.  Storrs'  "  Life  of  Bernard  of 
Clairvaux,"  Chapter  I,  p.  48,  and  recommend  the  reading  of 
the  whole  chapter. 


44  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

and  at  Cordova,  literature,  science  and  philosophy 
flourished.  It  was,  except  in  Central  Asia,  com- 
pared with  what  preceded  and  followed,  the 
peaceful  period  of  Mussulman  history. 

The  early  conquests  in  Arabia,  Egypt,  Syria 
and  Western  Asia  were  of  the  past.  The  Seljuk 
and  Ottoman  Turks  had  not  yet  come  upon  the 
stage.  Those  great  savage  conquerors  Zenghis 
Khan  and  Timourlane  devastated  Asia  in  the 
period  following.  For  the  three  centuries  under 
review  no  impartial  student  of  history  dare  claim 
any  new  indebtedness  of  Islam  to  Christianity. 
One  is  forced  to  acknowledge  that  civilization 
and  letters  and  science  stand  greatly  indebted  to 
the  Mussulman  Arabs. 

At  this  point  the  question  arises,  Is  Islam  to 
be  credited  with  the  progress  of  the  Arabs  in  the 
arts,  in  science  and  in  philosophy  in  the  ninth, 
tenth  and  eleventh  centuries  ?  To  this  question 
we  are  obliged  to  give  a  negative  answer.  In- 
deed there  soon  followed  a  reaction  among 
orthodox  Sunni  Mohammedans,  which  has  con- 
tinued till  this  day,  against  all  free  inquiry  even 
in  natural  science,  but  more  especially  in  philos- 
ophy and  religion,  because  such  inquiry  is  op- 
posed to  Koranic  teaching. 

It  remains  yet  to  be  seen  whether  recent 
declarations  of  a  Sheikh-ul-Islam  at  Constanti- 
nople, that  liberty,  equality  and  fraternity  for 
Mussulman  and  non-Mussulman  alike  is  taught 


Christendom's  Three  Darkest  Centuries   45 

in  the  Koran  will  hold  with  faithful  Moham- 
medans in  the  future.  To  accept  this  involves  a 
pretty  serious  strain  on  the  elasticity  of  language. 
Some  of  the  progressive  Ulema  have  gone  fur- 
ther and  have  claimed  that  all  the  scientific 
progress  of  the  present  day  is  foreshadowed  in 
the  Koran ! 

It  is  everywhere  confessed  that  the  Arabs  of 
Spain  followed  the  ancient  Greeks  in  science  and 
philosophy.  In  the  Arabic  writing  of  the  period 
we  are  reading  over  again  Aristotle  and  some- 
times Plato  also. 

While  we  gladly  acknowledge  Europe  indebted 
to  Arab  scholars  in  the  period  under  review  we 
do  not  find  ourselves  justified  in  ascribing  this 
indebtedness  to  the  religion  which  those  Arabs 
outwardly  professed.  Those  men  occupied  the 
same  position  among  Mohammedans  as  the 
bolder  schoolmen  two  and  three  centuries  later 
occupied  among  mediaeval  Christians.  They 
were  Greek  scientists  and  philosophers  of  Arab 
blood,  writing  in  the  Arabic  language.  Probably 
some  of  them  were  renegade  Christians.  Their 
work  was  wholly  outside  the  development  of 
Islam  as  a  religion. 

Politically  the  Mussulman  world  during  this 
period  was  divided  into  two  rival  camps,  the 
Eastern  and  Western.  But  the  story  of  this 
division  or  of  the  rise  of  political  forces  in 
Central  and  Western  Asia,  in  the  centuries  fol- 


46  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

lowing,  which  powerfully  influenced  and  shaped 
the  history  of  those  lands,  does  not  come  within 
the  scope  of  our  present  purpose.  Neither  does 
the  history  of  the  great  split  of  the  Mussulman 
world  into  Sunni  and  Shii  Mohammedans,  or 
the  division  into  the  four  chief  orthodox  and  the 
more  numerous  heterodox  sects  concern  us  at  this 
time.  All  this  does  not  materially  affect  the  ob- 
ject we  have  in  view. 

At  the  same  time  we  are  bound  to  remember 
that  when  Mohammedans  claim  that  Christendom 
owes  much  to  Arab  Mussulmans  of  the  ninth, 
tenth  and  eleventh  centuries  in  respect  of  the  ad- 
vancement of  science,  letters  and  philosophy,  we 
acknowledge  our  indebtedness  to  the  Arabs,  but 
to  men  who  were  condemned  as  arch  heretics. 
Professor  Margoliouth  says  in  a  letter  to  the 
writer,  "  The  indebtedness  of  the  world  to 
learned  Arabs  has  been  greatly  exaggerated. 
Those  who  pursued  what  we  call  science  were 
regarded  very  often  as  free  thinkers  and  their 
books  were  often  burned  by  the  pious." 

The  important  fact  which  emerges  out  of  the 
history  of  the  period  under  review  is  that  Chris- 
tianity as  exemplified  in  the  lives  of  the  Christians 
of  the  period  had  little  of  spiritual  value  to  offer 
to  Mohammedans. 

During  this  time  and  still  more  in  the  centuries 
that  followed,  to  the  end  of  the  period  of  which 
the  Crusades  were  the  most  salient  feature,  the 


Christendom's  Three  Darkest  Centuries   47 

prejudice  of  Mussulman  against  Christian,  the 
deep  sentiment,  "  We  are  better  than  the  Naza- 
renes,"  the  contempt,  the  hatred  were  hardening 
among  Mohammedans  in  all  Western  Asia  into  a 
sacred  national  and  religious  conviction,  and  were 
becoming  an  inheritance,  descending  from  gen- 
eration to  generation.  For  this  the  responsibility 
rests  far  more  heavily  on  Christians  than  it  does 
on  Mohammedans. 

The  answers  of  correspondents  to  questions  1 
and  2,  given  in  the  Introduction,  are  almost  uni- 
formly in  the  negative.  J.  A.  answers  question 
1  and  S.  G.  W.  question  2  in  the  affirmative. 
The  four  answers  following  are  given  entire. 

"  The  acquaintance  of  Mohammedans  with  the 
history  of  Christianity  is  very  slight.  In  conver- 
sation with  a  mullah  who  has  a  reputation  as  a 
preacher,  probably  the  most  thoughtful  of  the 
prominent  mullahs  of  the  city,  he  went  into  con- 
siderable detail  on  the  history  of  Christian  the- 
ology, based  on  some  Arabic  work,  and  bringing 
out  the  Nestorian,  Jacobite,  and  Melchite  divisions 
that  were  known  at  Bagdad.  Their  idea  of  gospel 
history  is  generally  derived  from  the  Koran  and 
their  traditions.  Except  by  Babis  or  Bahais,  I 
have  not  heard  Christianity  charged  with  the  sins 
of  Christian  civilization  or  the  blots  of  Christian 
history.  Intelligent  Mohammedans  look  upon 
true  religion  as  knowledge,  not  essentially  as 
power  or  life." — J.  H.  S. 


48  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

"  Among  present  or  former  students  in  mission 
schools,  such  as  have  become  more  or  less  readers 
of  the  New  Testament,  and  of  Christian  books 
and  magazines,  besides  such  as  have  been  among 
Christian  circles  when  studying  in  England,  there 
is  considerable  knowledge  of  Christian  history. 
Few  have  given  themselves  at  all  carefully  to  the 
study  of  history.  Still  fewer  distinguish  clearly 
the  religious  and  the  secular  current.  A  good 
many  have  a  general  notion  that  Christianity  has 
historically  produced  higher  ethical  results  on  the 
whole."— H.  U.  W. 

"  As  the  repetition  of  the  Kelime  constitutes  a 
man  a  Mohammedan,  so  Mohammedans  consider 
that  the  profession  of  Christianity  makes  a  man 
a  Christian.  They  do  not  divide  Mohammedans 
into  nominal  and  true  believers,  and  so  they  can- 
not draw  any  distinction  between  the  history  of 
Christianity  and  that  of  Christian  nations." 
— T.  B. 

"  The  masses  know  nothing  of  the  history  of 
Christianity,  but  the  educated  know  it  from  such 
writers  as  Renan,  Baur,  Strauss,  Ingersoll  and 
Voltaire.  The  foundation  stone  of  a  Mussulman 
divinity  school  was  recently  laid  in  Cawnpore,  to 
train  young  men  to  go  out  into  the  villages  to 
propagate  the  faith  of  Islam.  In  Lucknow  there 
is  an  academy  where  Mussulman  youths  receive 
education  with  the  same  object  in  view.  At  both 
places  lectures  are  given  about  the  rise  and  prog- 


Christendom's  Three  Darkest  Centuries   49 

ress  of  Christianity.  This  is  a  new  departure 
among  the  Mohammedans  of  India. 

"  Mohammedans  make  no  difference  between 
the  history  of  Christianity  and  that  of  so-called 
Christian  nations. 

"  All  sinful  actions,  such  as  drinking,  gambling, 
neglect  of  worship,  Sabbath-breaking,  race  hatred, 
etc.,  are  considered  as  the  direct  outcome  of 
Christianity,  or  evidence  of  its  weakness  as  a  con- 
trolling power  over  those  who  profess  it.  They 
look  upon  every  European  or  American  in  India 
as  a  representative  of  Christianity,  and  judge  his 
religion  accordingly." — A.  S. 


Ill 

THE  CRUSADES  DEEPEN  THE.  CHASM 

THE  story  of  the  Crusades  is  more  fa- 
miliar to  Occidental  readers  of  history 
than  any  other  events  which  took  place 
on  the  stage  of  human  life  in  the  middle  ages. 
The  story  has  a  certain  fascination  for  young 
minds.  Richard  the  Lion-Hearted,  though  he 
lived  through  less  than  half  the  twelfth  century 
(n  57-1 199),  and  though  his  influence  upon 
European  history  was  slight,  yet  through  his 
personal  prowess  and  his  feats  of  knightly 
daring,  captures  the  imagination  and  holds 
a  place  beside  the  great  heroes  of  the  Low 
Countries,  beside  Joan  of  Arc,  and  the  first 
Napoleon.  The  names  of  Godfrey,  Tancred, 
Baldwin,  "  Saint "  Louis  and  of  Saladin  (Salah- 
ed-din,  11 37-1193)  are  names  to  conjure  with 
among  students  of  history  in  the  West. 

Upon  the  narrative  of  the  eight  Crusade  ex- 
peditions, or  upon  that  of  any  one  of  them,  it  is 
not  our  purpose  here  to  enter  in  detail.  What 
does  concern  us  is  the  impression  those  expedi- 
tions made  upon  the  Mohammedan  world  of 
that  period.  In  order  to  appreciate  this  and  to 
measure  the  influence  which  has  deeply  coloured 
Mussulman  history  from  that  day  to  this  the 
5° 


The  Crusades  Deepen  the  Chasm      51 

causes  or  occasions  of  the  Crusades  must  be 
briefly  stated. 

Jerusalem  and  all  Palestine  was  added  to  the 
rapidly  growing  Mussulman  power  by  the  Calif 
Omar  in  637,  and  in  the  following  centuries  Mus- 
sulman armies  steadily  pressed  their  undertaking 
to  conquer  the  Christian  Empire  of  the  East. 
Constantinople  was  twice  besieged  by  immense 
armies  of  Arabs.  One  after  another  the  outlying 
provinces  of  the  Byzantine  Empire  fell  into  Mus- 
sulman hands. 

With  few  exceptions,  however,  the  Christians 
resident  at  Jerusalem  and  Christian  pilgrims  from 
other  lands  were  treated  with  kindness  till  the 
middle  of  the  eleventh  century.  The  holy  places 
were  left  in  the  care  of  Christians  and  the  number 
of  pilgrims  from  the  various  countries  of  Europe 
greatly  increased.  They  embraced  men  and 
women  of  all  ranks,  churchmen,  nobles,  peasants. 
Some  companies  of  pilgrims  numbered  thousands. 

With  the  conquest  of  Palestine  by  the  Seljuk 
Turks  about  1075  there  came  a  great  change  in 
the  condition  of  Christian  residents  in  the  Holy 
Land,  and  of  Christian  pilgrims  from  Europe. 
The  indignities,  the  insults,  the  cruelties  of  which 
they  were  the  victims  aroused  great  resentment 
in  all  parts  of  Europe.1 

1  It  is  an  interesting  fact  of  contemporary  history  that  it  is 
Turkish  soldiers  who  to-day  guard  those  shrines  against  the 
fierce  rivalries  and  animosities  of  opposing  Christian  sects  and 


5 2  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

Michael,  the  emperor  of  Constantinople, 
alarmed  at  the  increase  of  Mussulman  aggression 
and  abuse  of  Christians,  sent  ambassadors  to 
Pope  Urban  II,  beseeching  help  to  withstand  the 
common  enemy. 

The  Pope  saw  in  this  appeal  an  opportunity  to 
advance  the  interests  of  the  Church  and  possibly 
to  heal  the  schism  between  East  and  West. 
Calling  a  council  at  Clermont  in  1095  he  pre- 
sented the  ambassadors  from  Constantinople  and 
used  the  oppression  of  pilgrims  to  the  Holy  Land 
as  a  means  of  arousing  the  religious  fanaticism 
of  Europe.  For  the  righting  of  the  wrongs 
suffered  by  Christians  at  the  hands  of  Moham- 
medans, the  day  of  peaceful  remonstrance  was 
regarded  as  past.  War,  reconquest  of  the  Holy 
Land,  at  whatever  cost  of  life  and  treasure,  was 
the  one  thing  planned  for.  If  Palestine  was  held 
by  a  Mohammedan  power  by  right  of  conquest, 
then  it  should  revert  to  Christian  control  by 
reconquest.  Sword  and  spear  and  battle-axe 
should  wrest  the  Holy  Sepulchre  from  infidel 
hands. 

Peter  the  Hermit,  who  as  pilgrim  to  the  Holy 
Places  had  seen  and  shared  the  cruel  sufferings 
of  Christians  living  in  or  visiting  Jerusalem, 
returned  home,  gained  for  his  mission  the  sup- 
nationalities  whose  representatives  on  the  spot  would  often  be 
at  dangerous  feud  but  for  the  intervention  of  the  Mussulman 
military  police. 


The  Crusades  Deepen  the  Chasm      53 

port  and  the  blessing  of  the  Pope,  and  then 
rushed  through  Europe,  a  human  torch  and  fire- 
brand. Vast  multitudes  of  men  assumed  the 
badge  of  the  cross,  and  in  1096,  led  by  Peter  and 
by  Walter  "  The  Penniless,"  started  for  the  Holy 
Land.  There  were  half  a  million  of  them.  They 
all  perished  in  Hungary  or  Bithynia.  Peter  re- 
turned to  Europe  where  he  died  in  11 15. 

The  expedition  of  the  illustrious  Geoffrey  of 
Bouillon  and  his  companions,  counts  and  knights, 
was  a  very  different  enterprise.  It  resulted  in 
the  establishment  in  1099  of  a  Latin  kingdom 
at  Jerusalem,  with  Geoffrey  at  its  head.  This 
kingdom  lasted  till  11 89,  and  Jerusalem  might 
have  remained  in  Christian  hands  but  for  the 
dissensions  of  Christendom.  In  1 144  the  Mo- 
hammedans captured  the  Christian  stronghold 
of  Edessa  in  North  Syria  and  the  political 
dangers  then  brought  to  light  led  to  the  second 
Crusade. 

The  most  conspicuous  figure  in  connection 
with  this  expedition  was  the  great  abbot  and 
saint,  Bernard  of  Clairvaux.  His  fiery  and  com- 
pelling eloquence  led  vast  numbers  to  enlist  in 
the  Holy  War.  But  the  record  of  failure  and 
loss  was  almost  as  complete  as  that  of  Peter  the 
Hermit  and  Walter  the  Penniless  in  the  first 
Crusade. 

The  great  Saladin,  a  Kurd,  now  comes  upon 
the  arena  of  conflict,  and  leaves  a  record    less 


54  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

stained  with  cruelty  and  treachery,  it  must  be 
confessed,  than  that  of  some  of  the  Christian 
leaders.  Saladin  determined  to  drive  the  Chris- 
tians from  Jerusalem  and  the  Holy  Land.  He 
accomplished  his  purpose  in  1 189.  This  furnished 
the  stimulus  for  the  equipment  of  a  third  Crusade, 
which  not  only  ended  in  failure  but  left  a  record 
in  history  black  with  the  wanton  slaughter  of 
five  thousand  Mussulman  hostages  at  Acre. 

Deep  and  universal  interest  in  the  conquest  of 
the  Holy  Places  thereafter  waned  throughout 
Europe. 

The  fourth  Crusade  was  hardly  a  Crusade  at 
all.  It  was  a  war  of  Christian  against  Christian, 
in  behalf,  at  first,  of  the  state  of  Venice.  It 
resulted,  at  the  beginning  of  the  thirteenth  cen- 
tury, in  the  temporary  establishment  of  a  Latin 
kingdom  at  Constantinople. 

We  need  not  recall,  even  briefly,  the  Crusade 
expeditions  that  followed. 

The  whole  period  of  the  Crusades  was  177 
years,  from  1095  to  1272.  The  loss  of  life  was 
vast,  extending  into  millions ;  nothing  was  per- 
manently gained  in  Palestine  or  in  Egypt. 

Nay,  some  things  were  gained.  What  were 
they? 

First,  there  was  gained  the  beginning  of  that 
appreciation  in  Europe  of  the  power  and  purpose 
of  the  Mohammedan  peoples  which  more  or  less 
knit  together  the  discordant  units  of  European 


The  Crusades  Deepen  the  Chasm      55 

Christendom,  when  the  Mohammedans  swept 
over  the  Eastern  Empire  and  began  their  en- 
croachments on  European  territory.  In  this  way 
the  Crusades  helped  to  stay  that  moral  degeneracy 
to  which  reference  has  been  made  in  Chapter  II. 
They  also  helped  to  save  Europe  from  becoming 
a  prey  to  marauders  in  the  name  of  God,  after 
Constantinople  fell. 

Second,  there  was  gained  by  Mussulmans 
knowledge  that  European  Christians  were  no 
more  invulnerable  than  those  of  Asia,  and  a 
determination  to  prosecute  ceaseless  war  against 
them,  a  determination  which  twice  carried  the 
Turkish  armies  to  the  walls  of  Vienna. 

Third,  there  was  gained  a  fierce  hatred  of 
Mohammedan  against  Christian.  For  seven 
hundred  years  this  hatred  has,  among  all  Mussul- 
man peoples,  been  kept  aflame  as  a  sacred  duty, 
a  legacy,  a  heritage,  from  father  to  son. 

Finally,  there  was  gained  what  has  ever  since 
held  firm  hold  of  all  Mussulman  peoples,  viz.,  a 
grossly  false  conception  of  what  Christianity — 
the  religion  of  Christ — really  is.  All  their  ac- 
quaintance with  the  religion  of  Europeans  has 
tended  to  confirm  them  in  their  opinion  that  all 
Christians  are  alike,  and  little  better  than  idolaters, 
held  in  bondage  by  a  priesthood  that  exploits 
their  fears.  This  conception  has  not  been 
modified  for  the  better ;  it  has  been  greatly 
deepened  by  what  Mohammedans  have  known 


^6  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

of  the  internecine  wars  of  Christendom,  of  the 
corruptions  within  the  Church,  of  the  "  Holy  In- 
quisition," of  Europe's  Machiavellian  diplomacy, 
of  the  recent  defiance  by  Italy  of  every  demand 
of  justice  and  humanity  in  the  piratical  pursuit 
of  her  ambitious  schemes. 

Christianity  is  a  life.  But  the  Christianity  that 
Europe,  for  centuries,  has  held  up  before  Mussul- 
man eyes,  nay,  has  sometimes  seared  Mussulman 
eyeballs  with,  has  been  a  caricature  so  horrible 
that  it  still  glares  at  us,  makes  demon  faces  at  us, 
balks  our  efforts  in  behalf  of  Mohammedans  till 
the  present  day. 

Mohammedans  have  long  memories.  After 
the  naval  victory  of  Santiago  de  Cuba  in  the 
late  war  with  Spain,  a  Turkish  neighbour  of  a  col- 
league of  mine  met  him  one  morning,  and  after 
the  usual  salutation  said,  "  God  is  using  you 
Americans  to  avenge  on  Spain  our  wrongs  per- 
petrated by  her  four  hundred  years  ago." 

In  the  interior  of  Western  Asia,  as  in  India 
and  Central  Asia,  the  great  mass  of  Mussulman 
peoples  know  next  to  nothing  about  the  Cru- 
sades, or  of  the  history  of  Christian  Europe. 
But  many  Arabs,  Persians,  Egyptians  and  Turks 
do  know  much  of  European  history  and  they 
know  the  worst  of  that  history.  Their  knowledge 
filters  down  into  the  vast  masses  of  the  common 
people  of  their  several  races  in  the  form  of  hatred 
and  revulsion  from  the  very  name  of  Christian. 


The  Crusades  Deepen  the  Chasm      57 

This  revulsion  often  takes  the  form  of  ignorant 
but  violent  opposition  to  Christians  of  all  races 
and  all  professions.  Observe  in  India,  among 
Hindus  and  Mussulmans  alike,  a  clinging  to 
cherished  customs  and  prejudices  and  a  revulsion 
from  Christian  governmental  influence  so  tena- 
cious that  they  choose  to  die  by  plague  rather 
than  live  with  those  customs  invaded  by  West- 
ern, i.  e.,  Christian  civilization. 

I  once  asked  a  Turk  of  intelligence  and  an  of- 
ficer of  state,  after  a  prolonged  and  friendly  con- 
versation, if  he  intended,  in  what  he  had  said  to 
me,  to  imply  that  he  would  prefer  to  have  the 
Ottoman  state  perish  rather  than  have  it  come 
under  Christian  control,  with  the  condition  that 
it  should  retain  its  integrity.  He  replied  sol- 
emnly but  unhesitatingly,  "  Yes,  that  is  my 
meaning." 

Does  it  not  deeply  concern  us  to  fathom  the 
depth  of  Mussulman  hostility  to  Christians  and 
to  Christianity,  to  find  the  causes  of  this  hostility 
and  study  how  to  change  this  hostility  into 
friendliness  ? 

Underneath  all  Oriental  courtesy  and  all  out- 
ward professions  of  friendship  lies  deep-seated, 
bred  in  bone  and  marrow,  a  tremendous  recoil 
from  the  Christian  religion  even  when  this  recoil 
is  coupled  with  the  desire  to  possess  the  material 
and  intellectual  results  and  products  of  our 
Western  civilization.     Humane  and  neighbourly 


58  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

instincts  give  way  under  the  overmastering  stress 
of  supposed  religious  duty. 

The  following  incident  is  given  to  show  how 
the  inherited  hatred  of  Mussulman  to  Christian 
may  override  everythiyig  in  the  case  of  a  devotee 
of  Islam. 

In  the  city  of lives  a  venerable,  cour- 
teous, kind  and  learned,  white-turbaned  Turk, 
with  whom  I  have  had  many  a  cordial  conversa- 
tion in  his  house  or  my  own.  One  of  his  nearest 
neighbours  is  a  Christian  gentleman,  a  prominent 
member  of  the  evangelical  church.  These  two 
men  were  living  on  very  friendly,  intimate, 
almost  fraternal  relations  for  years.  The  rela- 
tion of  their  households  to  each  other  was  equally 
cordial. 

In  November,  1895,  there  occurred  in  that 
town  a  massacre  of  Armenians,  beginning  at 
noon,  on  the  firing  of  a  gun  from  the  courtyard 
of  the  principal  mosque,  and  lasting  four  hours. 

Happily  the  Christian  gentleman  mentioned 
was  safe  during  those  hours,  locked  in  his  office 
in  the  stone  khan  of  the  market. 

Some  days  afterwards,  meeting  his  Turkish 
friend,  he  said,  "  If  I  had  been  at  home  that  day, 
we  should  have  taken  refuge  with  you." 

"  Oh  !     I  am  glad  you  were  not  at  home  !  " 

During  those  four  hours  this  generous  and 
gentle  Turk  would  have  sacrificed  all  neighbourly 
and  humane  feelings,  all  the  claims  of  Oriental 


The  Crusades  Deepen  the  Chasm      59 

hospitality  to  a  compelling  sense  of  duty  to  obey 
the  command  of  the  Calif,  the  head  of  his  relig- 
ion. He  would  not  himself  have  killed  his 
friend,  but  he  would  have  allowed  him  to  be 
killed  by  others.  Once  waken  the  lion  of  tradi- 
tional hatred,  and  no  Christian  is  safe  in  the  open. 

Concerning  the  way  Mohammedans  regard 
the  Crusades,  a  few  expert  opinions  are  here 
given. 

"  They  are  regarded  as  the  outcome  of  Chris- 
tian zeal  like  Mussulman  wars." — J.  A.  and 
W.  G. 

"  They  are  regarded  as  wanton  aggression." — 
T.  D.  C  and  J.  H.  Y. 

"  The  Crusades  are  used  by  the  Mohammedans 
as  an  example  to  demonstrate  that  the  Christians 
propagated  their  faith  by  the  help  of  •  Holy 
Wars,'  just  as  the  Mohammedans  did,  and  that 
they  are  not  justified  in  denouncing  Mohammed- 
ans for  having  used  the  sword  to  spread  and  es- 
tablish Islam."— W.  B. 

"  I  have  never  discussed  the  Crusades  with 
Mohammedans  in  Arabia,  but  I  should  think 
they  would  regard  them  as  enterprises  like  those 
of  Napoleon  rather  than  as  manifestations  of 
Christian  zeal.  There  is  no  doubt  that  they  so 
regarded  them  in  the  days  of  Raymond  Lull. 
His  writings  give  abundant  proof  of  the  fact  that 
the  Crusades  were  an  irritant  force,  and  alienated 
the  Mohammedans  of  North  Africa." — S.  M.  Z. 


IV 

ISLAM  AND  ORIENTAL  CHURCHES 


I 


"\HESE  churches  are  the  Greek,  the 
Armenian,  the  Jacobite,  the  Nestorian, 
the  Coptic  and  the  Abyssinian. 

The  relation  of  Islam  to  Oriental  Christianity 
is  therefore  confined  to  Southeastern  Europe, 
Western  Asia  and  North  Africa.  The  fierce 
hordes  of  Central  Asia  never  came  into  relation 
to  Christianity  in  a  way  to  know  anything  of 
what  Christianity  as  a  religion  is. 

In  the  previous  chapter  we  have  shown  how 
the  contact  of  Christian  Europe  with  Mussulman 
peoples  in  the  middle  ages  fostered  violent  and 
enduring  hatred  of  Christians  by  Mohammedans, 
Mutual  repulsion  between  Mussulman  and  Chris- 
tian peoples  became  a  permanent  fact  of  history. 
But  in  Western  Asia  Mussulman  and  Christian 
have,  for  centuries,  lived  in  close  proximity  in 
towns  and  cities  and  even  in  villages.  This  has 
been  possible  under  the  Canon  law  which  per- 
mits granting  life  to  the  conquered  unbeliever  in 
return  for  tribute.  The  Mussulman  in  Turkey 
has  cherished  and  manifested  contempt  rather 
than  hatred  towards  his  Christian  neighbour. 
His  attitude  has  been  that  of  haughty  superiority 
60 


Islam  and  Oriental  Churches  61 

manifested  in  acts  of  oppression.  He  has  often 
been  both  judge  and  executioner  in  quarrels  that 
have  arisen  between  members  of  the  two  races. 
The  Christian  has  feared  his  Mussulman  lord  and 
has  been  despised  by  him.  This  feeling  has  been 
keenest  in  questions  of  religion.  To  the  Moham- 
medan any  Christian  has  been  a  "  Giaour,"  an 
infidel  dog,  one  of  a  herd  of  swine. 

Differing  from  one  another  in  some  not  unim- 
portant respects,  the  Oriental  churches  and  their 
adherents  may  properly  be  considered  together 
as  to  the  impression  they  have  made  upon  their 
Mussulman  neighbours.  The  long  continued 
proximity  of  the  representatives  of  decadent 
Oriental  Christianity  to  Mussulman  peoples  has 
tended  to  confirm  Mohammedans  in  their  rejec- 
tion of  Christianity. 

This  is  due  to  several  patent  facts  in  the  actual 
condition  of  these  Oriental  churches  and  their 
adherents. 

I.  No  one  of  the  Oriental  churches  can  be 
said  to  have  a  history  of  importance  after  the 
rise  of  Islam.  They  have  existed.  Their 
venerable  creeds  have  remained  unchanged. 
Those  creeds  embody  still,  after  fifteen  hundred 
years,  those  truths  of  doctrine  for  which  the 
fathers  of  the  Eastern  Church  contended  in  the 
early  centuries.  Their  church  polity  and  forms 
of  worship  are  what  they  were  under  the 
Gregories.     Discussion   with    results   of   value, 


62  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

progress,  movement  have  not  found  place  till 
very  recent  years  in  any  of  those  churches. 
Political  activity  and  intrigue  there  have  been  in 
abundance,  within  the  churches  and  in  their 
relation  to  civil  governments.  But  religious 
activity,  spiritual  movement,  except  in  a  few 
sporadic  and  temporary  events,  have  not  found 
place  till  a  half  century  ago. 

2.  The  violent  recoil  of  Mohammedans  from 
the  Christian  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  and  of  the 
Person  of  Christ  has  been  due  to  the  gross  and 
unintelligent  way  in  which  these  subjects  have 
been  handled  by  Oriental  Christians  all  through 
the  centuries. 

More  serious  than  this  is  the  influence  upon 
Mohammedans  of  the  reverence  paid  by  Ori- 
ental Christians  to  pictures  and  images  in  their 
churches.  This  is  frankly  termed  idolatry  by 
Mohammedans  and  their  revulsion  from  every 
semblance  of  idolatry  is  extreme. 

3.  During  all  the  centuries  when  Oriental 
Christians  have  been  subjects  of  Mussulman 
rulers,  barely  tolerated,  always  regarded  as  in- 
feriors, often  sorely  oppressed,  their  religion  and 
its  priests  despised  and  insulted, — a  cringing, 
servile  habit  of  duplicity  has  largely  characterized 
the  conduct  of  Oriental  Christians  towards  their 
Mussulman  lords. 

Mussulman  rulers  have  never  tolerated  manly 
self-respect,    the    assertion    of    any    claim,    or 


Islam  and  Oriental  Churches  63 

evidence  of  aspiration  on  the  part  of  their  Chris- 
tian subjects.  It  is  a  wonder  that  there  still 
exists,  in  all  these  subject  races,  so  much  of 
virility,  of  intelligence,  of  elastic  rebound,  when 
the  bonds  of  oppression  are  somewhat  relaxed. 

It  seemed,  in  the  years  1895-1896,35  if  the 
Armenian  people  could  never  recover  from  the 
terrible  calamities  under  which  they  were  then 
overwhelmed.  But  this  and  previous — and  sub- 
sequent— calamities  of  a  like  nature  which  have 
befallen  that  race  have  temporarily  arrested,  but 
never  crushed  the  national  spirit.  Armenians  are 
widely  scattered,  but  a  more  virile,  tenacious, 
persistent,  aspiring  people  does  not  exist  among 
the  races  of  mankind. 

4.  There  are  two  characteristics  of  Mussulman 
in  comparison  with  Christian  races  where  they 
live  together  in  a  Mohammedan  state,  in  respect 
of  which  the  position  of  the  Mussulman  is 
superior  to  that  of  the  Christian,  (a)  The  faith- 
ful Mussulman  abstains  from  the  use  of  wine  and 
strong  drink.  The  Christian  is  addicted  to  the 
free  use  of  both.  (&)  While  in  any  government 
office  the  Turk  is  a  past  master  in  duplicity  and 
robust  lying,  the  Turk  of  the  people  is  more 
ingenuous,  more  to  be  relied  on  to  speak  the 
truth  than  the  Oriental  Christian  is.  This,  of 
course,  is  not  at  all  due,  as  will  hereafter  appear, 
to  the  superior  teaching  of  his  religious  leaders. 
The  exact  opposite  is  the  fact.     The  reason  of 


64  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

the  fact  stated  is  that  oppression  always  fosters 
in  the  oppressed,  first  a  habit  of  concealment  and 
indirection  and  evasion ;  and  under  the  provoca- 
tion of  danger  and  fear  this  develops  into 
elaborate  deception,  which  crystallizes  into  habit. 
When  trade  is  largely  in  the  hands  of  a  subject 
race  that  race  becomes,  in  time,  adept  at  decep- 
tion in  all  its  forms. 

What  has  been  stated  is  not  put  down  in  the 
way  of  criticism,  not  brought  forward  with  the 
purpose  of  showing  Mohammedans  to  be  better 
than  Christians  in  the  nearer  East.  Facts  here- 
after to  be  stated  will  make  the  contrary  evident 
to  a  startling  degree.  All  that  has  been  advanced 
goes  to  show  that  Mohammedans  have,  in  all  the 
past,  been  brought  into  touch  with  Christianity 
and  with  Christians  in  such  a  way  as  to  repel  and 
not  to  win  them. 

5.  The  worship  of  the  Mohammedan  is 
simple.  His  mosques  are  unadorned  with  pic- 
tures or  statues.  He  must  enter  them  with  clean 
hands  and  feet.  His  Church  Polity,  if  we  may 
use  such  a  term  of  Islam,  is  also  simple,  free 
from  all  that  is  spectacular  and  ad  captandum. 
At  the  same  time  his  temples  for  the  worship  of 
God  in  the  great  centres  of  his  faith,  like  Con- 
stantinople, Cairo,  or  the  ancient  capitals  of  the 
Ottomans,  Brusa  and  Adrianople,  or  the  great 
centres  of  Mussulman  power  in  India  are,  be- 
yond  all   comparison,    even    with   the    imperial 


MOSLEMS    AT   ETC  AVER 


Islam  and  Oriental  Churches  65 

palaces,  the  stately,  imposing  edifices  which  ap- 
peal to  the  imagination  of  "  the  faithful." 

When  a  Mohammedan  visits  the  great  cities  of 
Europe  he  sees  splendid  cathedrals  erected  for 
the  worship  of  God.  But  in  his  own  country,  if 
he  is  from  the  nearer  East,  Christian  churches 
are,  and  are  forced  to  be,  inconspicuous,  if  some- 
times spacious  and  internally  adorned  edifices. 

If  we  compare  what  may  be  called  the  relig- 
ious cultus  of  Christianity  with  that  of  Islam,  to 
the  Mohammedan  his  own  religion  appears 
superior.  The  Christian  is  called  to  worship,  as 
he  is  to  school,  by  the  sound  of  a  bell  or  gong. 
The  human  voice,  that  of  a  man  selected  and 
trained  for  the  duty,  one  possessed  of  a  clear, 
ringing,  musical  voice,  standing  on  a  high  outer 
gallery  of  the  minaret,  calls  the  devotee  of  Islam 
to  worship.  Five  times  each  day,  once  before 
the  sun  rises,  at  noon,  mid  afternoon,  at  sunset, 
and  just  before  time  to  retire  to  the  night's  rest, 
the  muezzin  calls  men  to  worship  God.  He  calls 
out  the  words  which  embody  the  creed  of  Islam, 
"  There  is  no  god  but  Allah,  and  Mohammed  is 
the  apostle  of  Allah."  This  recital  is  prefaced 
with  the  repeated  "  God  is  most  great,"  and  fol- 
lowed with  the  call  to  worship  Him. 

The  postures  of  the  worshipper  seem  to  us 
mechanical.  But  to  the  devout  Mohammedan 
they  are  significant.  They  mean  reverence, 
obedient  listening  and  profound  humility. 


66  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

We  have  spoken  of  the  Mohammedan's  ap- 
proach to  God  as  worship,  and  that  in  very  pre- 
cisely ordered  form,  rather  than  as  prayer  in  the 
more  strict  meaning  of  that  word.  This  state- 
ment is  justified  by  the  Arabic  words  employed. 

Other  characteristics  of  the  Islam  cult  are 
things  on  which  the  devotees  of  that  faith  pride 
themselves  in  comparison  with  Christians.  We 
are,  however,  bound  to  think  their  ground  for 
self-congratulation  very  insecure.  They  give 
a  whole  month  to  fasting  by  day, — yes,  and  to 
feasting  and  other  self-indulgence  by  night.  It 
is  difficult  to  see  how  any  spiritual  value  can 
be  assigned  to  such  debauchery. 

The  Mohammedan  year  is  the  lunar  year. 
Therefore  the  Ramazan  rotates  through  all  the 
months  of  the  year,  making  a  complete  cycle  in 
about  thirty-three  years.  When  this  fast  comes 
in  long,  hot  summer  days,  labouring  men  suffer 
much  from  hunger  and  thirst.  Travelling  some 
years  ago  in  the  interior  in  mid-summer  with  a 
Mussulman  muleteer,  our  little  caravan  came  at 
four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  upon  a  fountain  of 
clear,  cold  water.  Except  the  muleteer,  every 
person  and  animal  of  the  party  drank  freely  and 
was  refreshed.  The  Turk,  faithful  to  his  religious 
duty,  threw  himself,  sore  athirst,  on  the  bank 
above  the  fountain,  made  no  complaint,  waited 
patiently  till  we  were  ready  to  mount  again  and 
bravely  waited,  before  eating  a  morsel  or  swallow- 


Islam  and  Oriental  Churches  67 

ing  a  drop  of  water,  for  three  and  a  half  hours 
longer. 

Alms  and  pilgrimage  are  purely  works  of  merit 
in  Mussulman  eyes,  so  many  drafts  on  the  bank 
of  Paradise. 

Enough  has  been  offered  to  show  that  for  the 
whole  period  of  Turkish  rule  in  Western  Asia, 
Christianity,  as  Mohammedans  have  known  it,  or 
could  know  it,  is  not  calculated  to  win  them  to 
accept  it  in  the  place  of  their  ancestral  faith. 

We  are  glad,  however,  to  say  that  even  before 
evangelical  Christianity  entered  Mohammedan 
lands  there  have  been  Christians  there  who  have, 
in  their  lives,  so  far  followed  the  teachings  of  the 
Gospel  as  to  win  the  regard  of  their  Mussulman 
neighbours,  and  to  force  the  confession  from  them 
that  such  lives  are  more  pleasing  to  God  than 
their  own  are.1  Mohammedans,  like  other  Ori- 
entals, are  keen  judges  of  the  real  character  of 
those  near  whom  they  live  and  whose  conduct 
they  are  able  closely  to  observe. 

The  introduction  of  evangelical  Christianity 
into  the  Ottoman  Empire  has  had  a  direct  in- 
fluence for  good  upon  Mussulman  peoples,  and 
also  an  indirect  influence.  Evangelical  places  of 
worship  do  not  repel,  they  attract  Mohammed- 
ans ;  Christian  teaching  by  Protestants  is  often 
heartily  approved  by  them,  while  the  purer  life  of 
evangelical  Christians  compels  their  admiration. 
1  See  testimonies  in  Chapter  XII. 


68  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

The  indirect  influence  is  not  less  valuable. 
This  consists  in  the  internal  reform  which  has,  in 
recent  years,  begun  in  several  of  the  Oriental 
churches  under  the  influence  of  the  teaching  and 
life  of  Protestants.  The  value  of  this  influence 
increases  from  year  to  year. 

When  all  Oriental  Christians  live  in  the  sight 
of  Mohammedans  lives  worthy  of  the  name  they 
bear,  then  Christ  will  indeed  be  "  lifted  up  "  and 
will  draw  all  men  unto  Himself. 


PART  II 

What  Christendom  Now  Offers 
Mussulman  Peoples 


V 
MATERIAL  GOOD 

WE  face  here  a  stupendous  fact  of  vast 
practical  significance  for  those  who 
desire  to  benefit  Mussulman  peoples. 
Of  the  200,000,000  and  more  Mohammedans  in 
the  world  more  than  three-fourths  are  under  the 
rule  or  control  of  Christian  powers.  More  than 
half  of  the  whole  number  of  Mohammedans  are 
directly  governed  by  Protestant  Christian  powers, 
or  dependent  upon  them.  Nearly  every  large 
Christian  state  has  Mohammedan  subjects  or  de- 
pendents. Great  Britain,  Holland,  France  and 
Russia  have  Mussulman  subjects  or  dependents 
in  large  numbers.  Those  dependent  upon  France 
and  Russia  number  about  45,000,000,  and  though 
most  of  the  specifications  given  below  apply 
almost  equally  to  them,  yet  for  the  purposes  of 
our  present  inquiry  we  can  with  propriety  confine 
ourselves  to  the  relation  of  Great  Britain  and 
Holland  to  their  Mussulman  subjects  and  de- 
pendents who  number  110,000,000  souls.  What 
have  these  millions  of  Mohammedans  received 
from  their  Christian  rulers  and  from  Christians 
of  the  West  ? 

7i 


72  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

/.    Just  and  Impartial  Government. 

(a)  It  should  be  observed  that,  whether  in 
India  and  in  Africa,  or  in  Sumatra  and  Java,  the 
governments  which  these  Christian  rulers  dis- 
placed were  unjust,  oppressive  and  inhumane. 
From  war  and  fear  of  war,  from  poverty  and 
anarchy,  from  ignorance  and  moral  night,  those 
vast  populations  have  been  brought  out  into  the 
enjoyment  of  personal  peace  and  safety;  have 
been  taught  that  only  right  is  might,  and  that 
property  as  well  as  life  is  secure  under  the  aegis 
of  their  new  rulers. 

(6)  The  result  of  British  rule  in  India  and  in 
Africa,  especially  in  Egypt,  has  been  advance  by 
leaps  and  bounds  in  material  prosperity,  and 
Egypt  has  but  begun  to  reap  the  rich  fruits  of 
the  great  barrages  of  the  Nile,  the  work  of  her 
British  rulers,  which  are  immensely  increasing 
the  fruitfulness  of  that  phenomenally  fruitful 
land. 

(c)  These  peoples  have  had  conferred  upon 
them  the  blessing  of  at  least  rudimentary  educa- 
tion ;  some  scores  of  thousands  of  them  have 
been  educated  in  high  schools,  colleges  and 
universities. 

(d)  A  beginning  has  been  made  in  social 
betterment.  These  people  have  learned  that 
skill  in  lying  is  no  longer  a  valuable  asset ;  that 
rank  selfishness  is  liable  to  be  confronted  with 
unswerving  and  fearlessly  administered  law ;  that 


Material  Good  73 

trust  and  confidence  between  man  and  man  are 
excellent  investments  ;  that  social  purity  is  not 
secured  by  mechanical  devices,  but  depends  on 
the  education  of  the  ethical  nature,  and  the  con- 
trol of  the  senses  by  conscience  and  reason. 

(e)  England  and  Holland  have  given  the 
fullest  possible  liberty  to  their  Mohammedan 
subjects  in  respect  of  the  exercise  of  their  ances- 
tral religion.  In  all  this  we  do  not  criticize  :  we 
applaud. 

Concerning  the  principles  adopted  in  the  ad- 
ministration of  her  great  Indian  Empire  by 
Great  Britain,  Dr.  Weitbrecht  of  Lahore  says : 
"  The  attitude  of  the  British  government  towards 
Christianity  in  India  was  tersely  characterized  in 
the  saying  of  one  of  our  Indian  legislators  in 
these  words, '  We  will  force  no  man  to  become  a 
Christian;  we  will  bribe  no  man  to  become  a 
Christian,  but  we  will  allow  no  man  to  lose  his 
rights  because  he  becomes  a  Christian.'  The 
moral,  intellectual  and  economic  benefits  of  mis- 
sionary work  are  freely  recognized  in  govern- 
ment reports.  Educational,  medical  and  to  some 
extent  industrial  work  is  aided  by  grants ;  and 
officials  are  free,  in  their  private  capacity,  to  aid 
and  take  part  in  missionary  work.  But  of  course 
no  official  favour  is  shown  to  Christians  as  such." 

A  Query 
At  this  point  we  regret  to  find  ourselves  out  of 


y4  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

complete  harmony  with  British  administration  of 
her  colonies,  and  of  her  Asiatic  and  African 
Empire.  Do  you  then,  it  may  be  asked,  claim 
that  the  administration  of  British  rule  in  India 
and  in  Egypt  ought  to  have  inaugurated  or 
countenanced  a  religious  propaganda  among  her 
Mussulman  subjects?  Certainly  not.  But  be- 
tween this  and  the  position  taken  and  defined  by 
so  distinguished  and  successful  an  administrator 
as  Lord  Cromer,  there  is  surely  a  wide  difference. 
The  following  is  from  Lord  Cromer's  recent 
book,  "  Modern  Egypt,"  Vol.  II,  pp.  141-143: 

"  The  Englishman  in  Egypt  will  scrupulously 
abstain  from  all  interference  in  religious  matters." 
All  right  so  far;  read  on:  "He  will  look  the 
other  way  when  greedy  sheikhs  swallow  up  the 
endowments  left  by  pious  Mussulmans  for  char- 
itable purposes.  His  Western  mind  may  indeed 
revolt  at  the  misappropriation  of  funds,  but  he 
would  rather  let  these  things  be  than  incur  the 
charge  of  tampering  with  any  quasi-religious 
institution.  For  similar  reasons  he  will  abstain 
from  laying  his  reforming  hand  on  the  iniquities 
of  the  Kadi's  courts.  The  hired  perjurer  will  be 
allowed  full  immunity  to  exercise  his  profession, 
for  the  Englishman  is  informed  that  the  criminal 
cannot  be  brought  to  justice  without  shaking  one 
of  the  props  that  hold  together  the  religious  edi- 
fice founded  twelve  centuries  ago  by  the  prophet 
of  Arabia.     He  did  not  for  many  years  allow  a 


Material  Good  75 

murderer,  whose  guilt  was  clearly  proved,  to  be 
hanged,  because  Islam  declared, — or  was  sup- 
posed by  many  ill-informed  Mussulmans  to  de- 
clare,— that  such  an  act  is  unlawful  unless  the 
murderer  confesses  his  crime,  or  unless  the  act 
is  committed  in  the  presence  of  two  witnesses; 
and  he  accepted  this  principle  in  deference  to 
Mussulman  sentiment,  with  the  full  knowledge 
that,  in  accepting  it,  he  was  giving  a  direct  en- 
couragement to  perjury  and  the  use  of  torture  to 
extract  evidence." 

We  do  not  remark  on  the  hideous  things  re- 
vealed by  this  lifting  of  the  veil  from  Islam,  or 
fail  to  note  the  fine  irony  with  which  the  lifting 
is  done.  Read  on :  "  He  will  scrupulously  re- 
spect all  Mohammedan  observances.  He  will 
generally,  amid  some  twinges  of  his  Sabbatarian 
conscience,  observe  Friday  as  a  holiday,  and  per- 
form the  work  of  the  Egyptian  government  on 
Sunday.  He  will,  when  an  officer  of  the  army, 
take  part  in  Mohammedan  religious  ceremonies, 
fire  salutes  at  religious  festivals,  and  sometimes 
expose  his  life  under  the  burning  rays  of  an 
African  sun,  rather  than  substitute  a  Christian 
helmet  for  the  tarboosh  which  is  the  distinctive 
mark  of  the  Mussulman  soldier  in  the  Ottoman 
dominions. 

"  And  when  he  has  done  all  these  things  and 
many  more  of  a  like  nature,  they  will  only  avail 
him  so  far  that  they  may  perhaps  tend  to  obviate 


76  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

any  active  eruption  of  the  volcano  of  intoler- 
ance." 

Is  it  possible  that  a  man  of  the  astuteness  and 
experience  of  Lord  Cromer  has  not  perceived 
that  nothing  so  surely  excites  the  contempt  of 
Mohammedans  towards  Christians  as  evidence 
that  they  are  not  held  by  the  requirements  of 
their  own  faith, — are  indifferent  regarding  the 
observance  of  its  most  sacred  duties  ? 

Punctual  and  scrupulous  fidelity  to  Christian 
duty  in  circumstances  where  interest  or  environ- 
ment would  lead  a  man  into  laxity  is  the  very 
thing  which  Mohammedans  most  respect  in  a 
Christian.  When  to  this  is  added  danger  to  the 
Christian  who  stands  firm,  the  impression  upon  a 
Mussulman,  whatever  he  may  say  or  do,  is  pro- 
found and  ineffaceable. 

The  Mussulman  in  Egypt  or  in  India  readily 
acknowledges  himself  far  behind  the  European 
Christian  resident  in  his  country  in  respect  of 
material  things,  but  he  is  quite  sure  that  he  is 
himself  greatly  in  advance  of  the  European  in 
respect  of  religion. 

The  following  is  from  a  Christian  educator  of 
long  experience  in  the  heart  of  Egypt,  President 
Alexander  of  Assiout. 

"  As  to  British  administration  in  Egypt  and 
India,  it  seems  to  me  that  it  is  the  existence  of 
the  British  element  that  holds  the  people  together 
and  maintains  peace  among  them.     But  in  order 


Material  Good  77 

to  do  that,  it  was  not,  nor  is  it  now  necessary  for 
the  British  to  give  up  the  forms  and  requirements 
of  Christianity. 

"  It  would  have  been  easy  for  the  British,  on 
their  entrance  into  Egypt,  to  make  the  Lord's 
Day  the  legal  holiday,  if  they  had,  at  the  same 
time,  respected  the  Friday  hour  of  prayer  for 
Mohammedans.  There  would  not  have  been 
any  protest  against  such  an  arrangement.  If 
British  administrators  would  keep  the  Lord's 
Day  now,  they  would  have  more  respect  in  the 
eyes  of  the  Mohammedans  than  they  have.  In- 
deed they  are  regarded  as  being  afraid  to  keep 
their  religious  requirements,  and  as  having  given 
them  up  so  as  to  conciliate  the  Mohammedans. 

"  In  the  Sudan,  the  conduct  of  the  British,  at 
Lord  Cromer's  instigation  or  perhaps  command, 
has  been  pusillanimous.  It  was  the  actual  and 
general  expectation  of  the  Mohammedan  popu- 
lation, both  in  Egypt  and  the  Sudan,  that  a  fuller 
liberty  would  be  given  to  Christianity.  The  ab- 
horrent, and  to  the  Mussulman  evident,  toadying 
to  Islam  has  not  only  confirmed  the  Mussulman 
in  his  bigotry,  but  caused  him  to  become  more 
bigoted,  and  at  the  same  time  to  despise  the 
British  for  treachery  to  their  own  faith,  as  they 
think,  from  fear  of  Mohammedans.  Lord  Cromer 
reaped  part  of  what  he  had  sown  before  he  left 
Egypt,  but  Christianity  in  Egypt  will  long  suffer 
from  the  effect  of  his  policy." 


78  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

During  the  Armenian  massacres  of  1895  and 
1896  Christian  preachers  were  again  and  again 
offered  life  on  condition  of  repeating  the  watch- 
word of  Islam,  "  There  is  no  God  but  Allah  and 
Mohammed  is  the  apostle  of  Allah."  Those 
men  deliberately  accepted  death  rather  than  deny 
their  Christian  faith.  See  what  follows.  For 
twelve  years  we  vainly  looked  for  evidence  of 
remorse  for  those  murders.  In  the  summer  of 
1908  we  saw  more  that  we  had  looked  for.  We 
saw  voluntary  testimony  given  to  the  power  of 
that  faith  which  chooses  martyrdom  in  the  face 
of  temptation  to  falsehood  and  apostasy. 

Armenians  and  Mohammedans  joined  in  a 
memorial  service  over  the  graves  of  five  thousand 
Armenians  slain  in  Constantinople  in  August, 
1896. 

Why  is  it  that  in  India  and  in  Egypt  com- 
paratively few  Mohammedans  embrace  Christi- 
anity, while  in  Sumatra  and  Java  under  Dutch 
rule  at  least  24,000  converts  from  Islam  are 
enrolled  ? 

Is  it  not  that  Dutch  rulers  have  been  faithful 
to  their  own  religion  and  facility  has  been  given 
by  the  Dutch  government  for  Mohammedans  to 
become  Christians  ? 

"  We  must  sacrifice  everything  in  order  to  be 
on  good  terms  with  the  Mussulman  tribes  of  the 
Sudan  ;  "  even  make  a  college  at  Khartoom  and 
name  it  after  that  Christian  hero  who  fell  there, 


Material  Good  79 

Charles  Gordon,  and  then  administer  it  as  a 
purely  Mohammedan  institution ! 

Surely  the  Pan-Islam  peril  is  overworked  when 
the  mighty  power  of  Great  Britain  makes  such  a 
concession ! 

Be  conciliatory.  Deal  gently  and  tactfully 
with  age-long  prejudice.  But  do  right.  Never 
let  Mohammedans  infer  from  our  conduct  that 
we  care  less  for  our  religion  than  we  do  for  their 
favour. 

We  have  felt  bound  to  demur  at  certain  posi- 
tions taken  by  a  truly  great  administrator,  the 
Earl  of  Cromer.  We  are  bound,  however,  to 
add  that  no  man  really  acquainted  with  Oriental 
character  and  conditions  in  Oriental  lands  can 
read  the  yearly  reports  of  Lord  Cromer  on  Egypt 
and  these  two  large  and  instructive  volumes, 
"  Modern  Egypt,"  without  increased  esteem  for 
a  man  who  has  done  so  much  for  Egypt,  a  man 
who  has  penetrated  so  deeply  into  the  actual 
conditions  of  Oriental  life. 

For  a  man  so  conspicuously  fair  towards  the 
faith  of  Islam  these  words  are  significant : 

"  Although  there  are  many  highly  educated 
gentlemen  who  profess  the  religion  of  Islam,  it 
has  yet  to  be  proved  that  Islam  can  assimilate 
civilization  without  succumbing  in  the  process. 
It  is  indeed  not  improbable  that,  in  its  passage 
through  the  European  crucible,  many  of  the  dis- 
tinctive features  of  Islam,  the  good  alike  with  the 


80  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

bad,  will  be  volatilized,  and  that  it  will  eventually 
issue  forth  in  a  form  scarcely  capable  of  recogni- 
tion." "  We  may  sympathize,  and  for  my  own 
part  I  do  very  heartily  sympathize  with  the  faith- 
ful devotees  of  Islam  who  are  at  the  same  time 
sincere  reformers,  but  let  no  practical  politician 
think  that  they  have  a  plan  capable  of  resuscitat- 
ing a  body,  which  is  not  indeed  dead,  and  which 
may  yet  linger  on  for  centuries,  but  which  is  yet 
politically  and  socially  moribund,  and  whose 
gradual  decay  cannot  be  arrested  by  any  modern 
palliatives  however  skillfully  they  may  be  ap- 
plied." 

"  It  should  never  be  forgotten  that  Islam  can- 
not be  reformed ;  that  is  to  say  reformed  Islam  is 
Islam  no  longer ;  it  is  something  else ;  we  cannot 
as  yet  tell  what  it  may  eventually  be."  "A 
revival  of  Islam,  that  is  to  say,  the  Islam  of  the 
Koran  and  the  Traditions,  is  nothing  but  the 
dream  of  poetic  natures  whose  imaginations  are 
carried  away  by  the  attractions  which  hover 
round  some  incidents  of  this  faith.  It  is  con- 
ceivable that,  as  time  goes  on,  the  Mussulmans 
will  develop  a  religion,  possibly  a  pure  Deism, 
which  will  not  be  altogether  the  Islamism  of  the 
past  and  of  the  present,  and  which  will  cast  aside 
much  of  the  teaching  of  Mohammed,  but  which 
will  establish  a  moral  code  sufficient  to  hold 
society  by  bonds  other  than  those  of  unalloyed 
self-interest "    ("  Modern    Egypt,"    Vol.    II,   pp. 


Material  Good  81 

161,  184,  229,  233).  We  have  allowed  ourselves 
to  go  somewhat  far  afield  in  order  to  represent 
Lord  Cromer  with  entire  fairness. 

2.     Material  Aids  to  Comfort  and  Poiver. 

Independent  Mussulman  governments  have  in 
recent  years  received  from  Christendom  acces- 
sories to  material  progress  and  power  in  a  variety 
of  ways.  This  was  not  the  case  half  a  century 
ago.  They  have  received,  for  example,  war 
vessels  with  their  armaments,  and  the  entire 
modern  equipment  of  their  armies,  Krupp  guns, 
Martini  and  Mauser  rifles,  etc.  We  may  add 
also  the  loan  by  European  governments  of 
officers  as  instructors  in  military  and  naval  tactics 
and  as  leaders  on  sea  and  land.  Foreign  capital 
has  built  railroads  and,  to  a  limited  extent, 
worked  mines. 

With  all  this  there  have  come  two  importations 
from  Western  lands  on  which  we  cannot  con- 
gratulate ourselves  as  conferring  a  boon  upon 
Mussulmans.  Individuals,  and  even  robber  bands 
that  .infest  the  lands  of  the  nearer  East,  are  now 
armed  with  repeating  rifles  and  the  best  modern 
revolvers.  Forty  years  ago  an  American  physi- 
cian, in  the  heart  of  Asia  Minor,  rendered  him- 
self quite  immune  from  harm  in  the  face  of  three 
robbers  by  a  spectacular  firing  off  of  three  shots 
from  his  six-shooter  and  saying,  "  It  will  go  right 
on  in  that  way."  No  man  could  play  that  game 
now. 


82  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

Merchants  have  grown  rich  on  the  importation 
into  Oriental  countries  of  New  England  rum, 
Holland  gin  and  French  brandy,  and  some 
Mohammedans  have  yielded  to  the  temptation  of 
indulging,  with  disastrous  results,  in  these  fiery 
liquors. 

In  respect  of  aid  from  Christian  to  Mussulman 
governments  we  stand  on  the  threshold  of  a  new 
era.  It  would  be  rash  to  prophesy  concerning 
the  future  of  Persia.  But  in  respect  of  constitu- 
tional government,  Turkey  seems  to  have  crossed 
from  Asia  to  Europe  and  burned  her  ships.  She 
crossed  in  July,  1908,  and  burned  her  ships  in 
April,  1909.  It  is  pathetic  to  see  how  anxiously 
Young  Turkey  turns  to  Christian  states  for 
instruction  and  help  in  solving  the  problems  of 
tremendous  difficulty  she  now  faces.  During 
the  first  long  session  of  the  Ottoman  Parliament, 
hardly  a  day  passed  that  one  or  more  of  the 
deputies  did  not  cite  the  forms  of  procedure  in 
Western  Parliaments  as  a  guide  to  their  discus- 
sions. 

Parliament  had  hardly  opened  before  it  be- 
came evident  that  the  air  inside  and  out  was  far 
too  heavily  charged  with  electricity.  Between 
the  Young  Turks  and  the  pronounced  reaction- 
aries arose  a  new  party  calling  themselves 
Liberals.  The  daily  press  thundered  and  light- 
ened with  violent  personal  attack  and  defense. 
Party  feeling  was  intensely  bitter.     In  April  came 


Material  Good  83 

the  explosion.  From  that  hour,  the  lesson  of 
self-repression  in  the  interest  of  a  true  patriotism 
began  to  be  learned.  The  whole  conservative 
element  of  the  new  movement  is  Western,  not 
Eastern ;  Christian,  not  Mohammedan.  All 
Mussulman  conservatism  is  opposed  to  equality 
of  Mussulman  and  non-Mussulman  races.  This 
is  why  the  Young  Turks  seek  and  welcome 
sympathy  and  moral  as  well  as  material  help 
from  Christendom.  Their  desire  to  carry  out 
the  reforms  begun,  to  develop  the  material  re- 
sources of  the  country,  to  unite  its  various 
nationalities,  is  exceedingly  strong.  This  desire 
is  all  the  stronger  because  constitutional  govern- 
ment with  equality  of  Mussulman  and  non- 
Mussulman  races  is  opposed  to  all  the  traditions 
of  Mussulman  peoples.  The  task  undertaken  is 
so  great  that  there  is  danger  that  the  leaders  of 
reform  will  weary  of  their  stupendous  task  before 
it  nears  completion.  It  is  here  that  Christians 
and  Christian  nations  can  render  effective  ma- 
terial and  moral  aid.  It  is  aid  too  that  will  be 
welcomed  by  all  Ottoman  patriots. 

Mussulman  peoples  and  individuals  among 
those  peoples  have  received  great  material 
benefits  from  Christian  lands.  Forty  years  ago 
American  petroleum  replaced  candles  and  olive 
oil  for  lighting.  The  larger  cities  are  now  lighted 
by  gas  or  electricity.  European  dress  has  largely, 
at  least  in  the  cities,  replaced  the  cumbrous,  if 


84  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

sometimes  picturesque,  Oriental  dress.  Better 
houses  are  built  and  occupied.  Roads  have  been 
built  where  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago  only  bridle- 
paths existed,  even  on  the  great  highways  of  the 
interior.  In  some  places  modern  agricultural 
implements  and  methods  are  beginning  to  re- 
place the  bungling  and  wasteful  farming  which 
has  impoverished  these  fine  agricultural  regions 
for  three  thousand  years. 

We  do  not  wish  to  minimize  the  benefits  thus 
conferred  by  Christendom  upon  Mussulman  in- 
dividuals and  governments.  They  welcome  all 
these  accessories  to  more  comfortable  living. 
But  if  with  this  progress  must  come  the  mad 
rush  after  wealth  as  the  chief  good,  that  is  seen 
in  the  great  cities  of  Christendom  on  both  sides 
of  the  Atlantic  ;  if  the  reposeful  Oriental  is  to 
follow  the  restless  Occidental  at  the  Occidental's 
pace,  in  the  race  after  material  possessions,  we 
must  be  permitted  to  withhold  our  applause. 
For  the  soul  of  man  the  achievements  of  Western 
civilization  in  Mohammedan  lands  seem  as  yet 
barren  and  disappointing. 

Happily  material  benefits  are  not  all  that 
Mussulman  peoples  welcome  at  our  hands. 


A  TURKISH   KITOnTA 


AFGHANS 


AIIMEh  VEFIK  PASHA 


AX    ALBANIAN 


WHIRLING   DERVISHES 


A   CIRCASSIAN 


VI 


FRUITS  OF  CHRISTIANITY  THAT  ARE 
WELCOMED 

/.     Education  in  Mission  Schools. 

A  CENTURY  ago  anything  worthy  to  be 
called  a  school,  with  very  few  excep- 
tions, did  not  exist  in  any  Moham- 
medan country  for  any  race.  Probably  not  more 
than  five  per  cent,  of  the  entire  population  of 
the  Ottoman  Empire  at  that  time  could  read. 
Of  the  women  one  per  cent,  would  be  a  generous 
estimate.  It  certainly  was  no  better  in  other 
Mohammedan  countries. 

A  thousand  schools  of  various  grades,  from 
kindergarten  to  university,  have  been  established 
by  American  missionaries  in  the  Ottoman  Em- 
pire, including  Egypt,  and  in  Persia.  True, 
these  schools  have  hitherto  met  the  needs  chiefly 
of  non-Mussulman  races.  Accept  the  fact  that 
till  within  the  past  decade  very  few  Moham- 
medan youth  have  been  allowed  by  the  govern- 
ments to  attend  these  schools,  or  have  been  able 
to  evade  government  espionage  in  their  desire 
for  Western  education,  yet  the  indirect  influence 
of  these  thousand  schools  upon  the  Mussulman 
35 


86  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

population,  and  that  in  the  higher  ranks  of  the 
people,  has  been  great  and  increasing.  Even 
before  the  recent  great  political  change  in 
Turkey,  Mussulman  youth  had  begun  to  come, 
in  considerable  numbers,  to  certain  of  the 
American  schools  and  colleges,  for  example  in 
Tabreez  and  Teheran  in  Persia,  Beirut  in  Syria, 
in  Egypt  and  in  Constantinople.  A  large  num- 
ber of  Mussulman  youth  have  been  educated  in 
the  mission  schools  of  India.  The  number  now 
applying  for  admission  to  mission  schools  in  the 
Ottoman  Empire  is  so  large  as  severely  to  tax 
the  capacity  of  the  institutions  and  the  teaching 
force.  It  is  still  more  significant  that  the  Turks 
have  undertaken  the  establishment  in  their 
principal  cities  of  high  schools  where  Western 
science  and  languages  are  taught ;  and  that 
American  schools  have  been,  to  a  large  extent, 
the  models  on  which  the  new  educational  work 
has  been  undertaken.  Calls  are  now  coming  for 
graduates  of  American  colleges  to  instruct  Turk- 
ish youth  in  government  schools. 

Recent  efforts  of  Turks  to  train  girls  to  be 
teachers,  praiseworthy  as  they  are  in  the  motive, 
leave  much  to  be  desired  in  the  performance. 
Articles  recently  published  in  one  of  the  new 
Turkish  papers  strongly  commend  American 
school  training.  It  is  no  idle  hope  that  girls  edu- 
cated in  American  Colleges  for  Girls  in  Turkey 
will  soon  be  sought  by  Turks  as  teachers  and 


Fruits  of  Christianity  Welcomed      87 

organizers  for  their  girls'  schools.  In  fact  the 
hope  has  already  begun  to  be  fulfilled. 

Put  the  intellectual  and  moral  training  of 
Mussulman  youth  into  Christian  hands,  even 
under  the  limitations  that  will  be  imposed,  and 
we  should  not  have  long  to  wait  for  more  elastic 
interpretation  of  Koranic  and  traditional  teach- 
ing than  the  most  liberal  of  the  Ulema  are  now 
giving  their  people  in  public  speech  and  through 
the  press. 

In  the  schools  of  all  grades  established  by  mis- 
sionaries of  the  American  Board  in  Turkey  there 
are  24,000  pupils.  These  pupils  are  mostly  from 
the  Christian  races.  But  they  form  a  class,  in- 
creasing every  year,  of  educated  minds,  living 
and  working  among  and  for  their  Mohammedan 
fellow  citizens.  Their  influence  is  educative  and 
cumulative. 

2.     The  Bible  and  Christian  Literature. 

Mohammedans,  at  least  in  Western  Asia,  couple 
their  rejection  of  Christianity  with  an  acceptance 
of  the  Jewish  and  Christian  Scriptures.  This  is 
not  merely  nominal  reverence.  Witness  the  re- 
cent phenomenal  increase  in  the  sale  of  both 
Arabic  and  Turkish  Bibles,  Testaments  and 
portions,  in  Egypt,  Syria,  Turkey  and  even  in 
Arabia. 

It  is  true  that  Mohammedans  reiterate  what 
the  learned  and  candid  among  them  know  to  be 
false,  viz.,  that  the  Christian  Scriptures  have  been 


88  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

corrupted,  abrogated  and  what  not.  But  there  is 
ample  evidence  that  there  exists  to-day  in  the 
Mussulman  world  a  wide-spread  desire  to  know, 
at  first  hand,  what  Christianity  is,  apart  from  what 
it  is  shown  to  be  in  the  lives  of  those  professing 
Christianity. 

While  avowedly  controversial  religious  writing 
has  almost  always  repelled,  at  least  has  failed  to 
win  the  assent,  of  men,  all  books  of  Western 
science,  and  much  of  the  best  literature  of  Chris- 
tian peoples  not  distinctly  religious,  are  welcomed 
by  liberal-minded  Mohammedans.  Such  books 
must  tend  to  convince  honest  minds  that  truth  in 
every  department  of  thought  is  to  be  sought  in 
the  Christian  rather  than  in  the  Mohammedan 
world.  It  is  then  but  a  step  forward  to  the  posi- 
tion where  distinctively  Christian  literature,  if  it 
is  not  controversial,  is  eagerly  sought  for.  Over- 
come prejudice  by  conciliatory,  sympathetic,  help- 
ful dealing  with  Mohammedans,  and  the  best  re- 
sults will  attend  the  publication  of  Christian 
literature  in  their  languages. 

Even  the  issue  of  standard  books  on  science  in 
Arabic  or  Turkish  has  direct  value  in  demonstrat- 
ing the  falsity  of  a  thousand  notions  and  supersti- 
tions which  for  the  common  people  have,  for 
ages,  been  part  and  parcel  of  their  ancestral  relig- 
ion. It  is  believed  that  an  up-to-date  astronomy, 
recently  issued  in  Turkish,  will  prove  to  that  peo- 
ple God's  message  from  the  skies. 


Fruits  of  Christianity  Welcomed      89 

Materialism,  agnosticism,  even  rank  atheism 
have  come  in  and  spread  with  alarming  rapidity 
in  all  nationalities  of  the  nearer  East. 

A  little  book  on  Natural  Theology  published 
in  Turkish  some  years  since  met  with  a  warm 
welcome  from  many  Mohammedans.  "  I  have 
no  objection  to  the  book,  but  one  of  us  ought  to 
have  written  it,"  said  one  of  the  Board  of  Censors 
to  whom  the  manuscript  was  submitted. 

Now  with  the  censorship  removed,  we  come  to 
closer  range  and  issue  books  with  such  a  title  as 
"  Universal  Brotherhood  and  the  Founder  of 
Christianity,"  and  latest  of  all  a  book  of  288 
pages  on  "  The  Unique  Person  of  Jesus  Christ 
and  His  Relation  to  the  Human  Race." 

We  cannot  overestimate  the  value  of  the  op- 
portunity now  offered  to  let  clear  light  into 
Mussulman  minds  concerning  Christianity,  and 
the  person  of  Jesus  the  Christ. 

j.     Scientific  Healing. 

No  influence  is  more  unmistakably  happy 
among  Mohammedans  than  that  of  the  Chris- 
tian hospitals  and  dispensaries  now  found  in  the 
cities  of  Mussulman  countries.  The  influence  of 
this  form  of  practical  Christianity,  especially  in 
places  remote  from  the  great  centres,  is  often  ex- 
traordinary. Enormous  is  the  amount  of  need- 
less suffering  in  all  Mohammedan,  in  all  Oriental 
lands.  Millions  of  lives  are  every  year  cut  short 
in  infancy  or  in  life's  early  years,  because  of  the 


90  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

incredibly  unsanitary  conditions,  the  dense  igno- 
rance, the  stolid  apathy,  the  horrid  quackery 
which  come  down  like  an  inheritance  from  age 
to  age. 

All  this  has  not  had  place  because  Mussul- 
mans do  not  love  life,  do  not  love  their  children, 
or  because  they  do  not  care  enough  to  respond 
to  competent  offers  of  help.  The  contrary  is 
often  touchingly  in  evidence  when  they  see  proof 
of  both  readiness  and  ability  on  the  part  of  Chris- 
tian physicians  and  nurses  to  save  and  heal. 

A  villager  is  stricken  down  with  some  acute  dis- 
ease which  must  be  fatal  in  the  close  air  of  his 
dirty  hut,  or  he  has  met  with  an  accident  which 
requires  skilled  surgical  treatment  and  that 
quickly.  There  is  one  hope.  At  the  Christian 
hospital  in  the  city,  they  say,  men  are  snatched 
back  from  the  very  edge  of  the  grave.  The 
buffalo  cart  is  brought  to  the  door.  The  patient 
is  lifted  on  his  wool  mattress  upon  the  rude 
vehicle.  The  hardships  of  a  painful  ride  of  four 
hours  to  the  hospital  are  endured.  The  patient  is 
received.  He  is  taken  in  through  the  bath,  put 
into  a  clean  bed,  cared  for  night  and  day  by 
willing,  loving,  skillful  hands.  The  disease  is 
mastered ;  the  operation  is  successful.  When 
that  man  walks  back  home  cured  he  never  again 
calls  or  lets  others  call  the  Christians  "  Giaours." 
His  heart  is  stored  with  grateful  memories.  He 
tells  all  the  village  of  the  Christian  care  and  the 


Fruits  of  Christianity  Welcomed      91 

Christian  teaching  which  have  made  his  weeks  in 
the  hospital  the  happiest  of  his  life. 

Rev.  H.  T.  Perry  of  Sivas  writes,  "  Much  the 
best  work  done  for  Mohammedans  in  this  station 
is  by  means  of  our  little  hospital.  Dr.  Clark  and 
Miss  Cole,  with  their  staff  of  assistants,  have  their 
wards  usually  full,  and  an  average  of  not  less  than 
half  of  their  patients  are  Mussulmans. 

"  Last  summer  they  had  a  Circassian  boy  from 
the  Tonoz  region,  who  was  suffering  from  a 
malignant  cancer.  The  doctor  frankly  told  the 
father  that  he  could  easily  remove  it,  but  it  might 
reappear.  They  decided  to  have  it  done  and 
paid  ten  pounds  in  advance.  Abdul,  the  boy, 
was  perfectly  fascinated  with  the  New  Testament. 
He  said  they  had  nice  books  in  their  village ; 
but  he  never  saw  anything  so  good  as  this.  He 
read  it  by  the  hour,  was  interested  in  family 
prayers,  that  were  daily  held  with  the  patients. 
He  seemed  to  accept  Christ.  The  father  was  a 
man  of  dignity,  the  son  of  a  Bey.  When  he 
came  for  his  son  we  were  all  much  pleased  with 
him.  There  was  some  fear  that  the  disease  was 
beginning  to  reappear,  and  when  we  spoke  of 
our  sorrow,  if  again  the  boy  should  be  doomed 
to  suffer,  the  father  said,  '  It  is  worth  all  it  has 
cost  me  to  find  such  a  manifestation  of  love  as  I 
see  here.  I  appreciate  all  the  care  and  kindness 
you  have  shown  to  my  boy.' 

"  Abdul  went  home  with  his  father,  the  latter 


g2  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

promising  to  bring  him  to  the  hospital  again. 
But  the  disease  worked  rapidly.  Dr.  Clark  and 
Miss  Cole  once  went  to  their  village  to  see  him. 
The  boy  was  wild  with  joy  for  their  coming,  and 
seemed  as  lovely  in  disposition  as  he  was  at 
Sivas.  They  left  him  and  returned.  Word  soon 
after  came  that  he  was  gone.  We  love  to  think 
of  his  joy  in  all  the  stories  he  heard  of  our  blessed 
Lord,  and  the  way  of  salvation  in  Him." 

4?.     Relief  in  Times  of  Calamity. 

This  too  is  a  form  of  help  which  Mohammed- 
ans welcome  with  gratitude.  Famine,  pesti- 
lence, internecine  strife  entail  upon  Oriental 
peoples  measureless  suffering.  Their  frequent 
recurrence  tends  to  make  men  callous.  The 
people  do  not  help  each  other  when  in  such 
straits.  They  perish  like  flies.  Those  who  es- 
cape are  dazed  and  know  not  what  to  do.  It  is 
uniformly  Christians  of  the  West  who  come  to 
their  relief.  In  these  days  of  the  telegraph,  the 
relief  comes  by  the  morrow's  dawn.  It  does  not 
matter  of  what  race  or  religion  the  sufferers  are. 
All  are  aided  alike.  In  November,  1895,  a  cable- 
gram was  sent  from  Constantinople  to  New  York 
asking  for  a  million  dollars  for  help  to  victims  of 
massacre.  The  Turks  and  Kurds  did  the  killing 
and  they  put  every  obstacle  in  the  way  of  relief. 
But  then  and  afterwards  they  also  were  pro- 
foundly impressed  with  that  exhibition  of  pure 
philanthropy. 


Fruits  of  Christianity  Welcomed      93 

After  the  scenes  of  carnage  and  arson  with 
which  in  April,  1909,  the  city  of  Adana  and 
neighbouring  towns  and  villages  were  over- 
whelmed, large  sums  for  relief  and  rebuilding 
were  appropriated  by  the  government.  But 
while  the  poor  sufferers  were  despairing  at  the 
infinite  delays  which  attended  even  the  partial 
distribution  of  this  relief,  Christians  fed  and 
clothed  and  sheltered  the  starving,  naked,  home- 
less people.  Christians  gathered  in  and  cared 
for  the  waifs,  the  orphans  and  the  widows.  Their 
help  was  prompt,  unwasted,  effective. 

Pure  philanthropy  tells  everywhere.  It  is  a 
fact  writ  large  on  modern  Turkish  history  that 
the  people  whom  everybody,  of  every  race,  trusts 
unhesitatingly  and  absolutely  are  the  American 
missionaries,  and  men,  Europeans  and  Protestant 
native  Christians,  of  like  spirit,  who,  in  times  of 
calamity  and  distress,  devote  themselves  unspar- 
ingly to  the  relief  of  suffering,  to  the  care  of 
widows  and  orphans,  to  the  effort  to  lift  up  the 
fallen,  to  give  hope  to  the  despairing. 


VII 

THE  ETHICAL  PROBLEM 

CHRISTIAN  teaching  in  ethics  and  es- 
pecially concerning  social  life  is  a  boon 
which  is  beginning  to  be  appreciated 
by  enlightened  Mohammedans.  In  order  to  see 
clearly  this  impressive  fact  it  is  necessary  to  note 
the  later  ethical  development  of  Islam  as  given 
in  the  Koran,  and  to  read  what  Mussulman 
writers  themselves  tell  us  of  the  later  life  and  ex- 
ample of  their  prophet  and  then  to  trace  the  in- 
fluence of  both  doctrine  and  example  in  the  life 
of  Mohammedan  peoples. 

Let  it  be  again  noted  that  the  claim  of  Mo- 
hammed to  be  a  preacher  of  divine  truth  to  the 
people  of  his  race  and  time  is  not  denied.  There 
is  much  in  the  years  preceding  the  Hegira  to 
give  force  to  this  claim.  The  influence  of  his 
wife  Khadijah  over  her  husband  seems  to  have 
been  great  and  only  good  while  she  lived.  Her 
death  took  place  when  her  husband  was  fifty  or 
fifty-one  years  old.  This  was  ten  years  after  his 
announcement  to  a  few  friends  of  his  prophetic 
mission,  and  in  the  year  621,  a  year  before  the 
Hegira.  Soon  after  Khadijah's  death  his  life  and 
teaching  changed  for  the  worse. 
94 


The  Ethical  Problem  9$ 

A  Contrast 
At  their  best  the  ethics  of  Islam,— always  ex- 
cepting the  aspirations  of  its  nobler  mystics,— 
rest  on  a  lower  set  of  principles  than  the  ethics 
of  Christianity. 

The  faithful  Christian  does  right,  speaks  the 
truth,  keeps  himself  socially  pure,  because  it  is 
right  to  do  so.     He  does  not  look  for  a  reward 
for  doing  and  being  good  in  terms  of  some  per- 
sonal profit  or  honour  or  pleasure.     The  reward 
promised  is  higher  spiritual  uplift  and  advance. 
The  crown  he  hopes  to  wear  is  a  crown  of  per- 
fect righteousness.     The  paradise   he   strives  to 
gain  is  found  in  sinless  service,  gratefully  ren- 
dered to  God  and  to  Christ  in  the  immortal  life, 
a  life  already  begun  here.     It  is  enough  that  he 
is  obedient  to  God  out  of  love  to  Him,  that  he 
serves    men    and    seeks    their    welfare   because 
brotherly  love  impels  him.     When  he  finds  him- 
self acting   from  lower   motives  his  conscience 
accuses  him  of   unfaithfulness.     Especially  is  it 
fundamental  in  Christian  morality  that  the  soul 
dominate  the  sense.     Thus  as  the  years  pass  and 
the  powers  of  the  soul  grow  and  mature  the  ani- 
mal  nature  more  completely  keeps  its  place  of 
subjection  and  of  service  to  the  soul,  so  that  the 
divine  moral  image  in  which  man  was  created  at- 
tains clearness  and  realization  in  the  life. 

In  the  practical  ethics  of  Islam,  on  the  other 
hand,   virtue   is   stimulated,   not  by  promise  of 


96  Christian  and  Mohammedan 

high  reward,  meet  for  a  victorious  spiritual  na- 
ture, but  of  low  rewards,  unlimited  delights  of  a 
sensual  paradise.  Here  is  the  very  negation  of 
that  aspiration  which  is  the  prerogative  of  man 
alone  of  all  created  beings  in  this  world.  The 
inevitable  result  of  such  a  system  is  moral  de- 
generation.    Very  early  this  result  appeared. 

Rev.  H.  O.  Dwight,  LL.  D.,  for  many  years 
missionary  at  Constantinople,  makes  the  follow- 
ing valuable  observation  touching  the  ethics  of 
Islam :  "  We  must  approach  the  ethical  problem, 
it  seems  to  me,  by  way  of  the  history  of  Mo- 
hammed's religious  knowledge.  The  Scriptural 
revelation  of  God  was  as  much  a  surprise  to  him 
as  to  any  other  pagan  and  as  firmly  grasped 
when  understood.  But  the  man  was  groping 
without  godly  instructors,  so  what  he  built  on 
that  knowledge  was  straw  and  stubble,  fit  only  to 
be  burned.  He  had  for  a  background  the  at- 
tributes of  God,  and  for  a  foreground  God's 
wrath  towards  willful  unbelief  on  the  one  hand, 
and  His  boundless  compassion  towards  human 
weakness  on  the  other.  There  he  erected  his 
edifice.  The  corner-stone  of  Jesus  Christ  and 
the  indwelling  Spirit  being  left  out,  a  religion 
without  conformity  to  the  likeness  of  Jesus,  and 
with  sanctions  hateful  to  God  and  ruinous  to 
man  was  the  natural  result  of  rumination  on  hu- 
man impotence  that  excites  pity  even  in  men." 

Let  us   put  in  parallel  columns  some  of  the 


The  Ethical  Problem 


97 


moral  teachings  which  are  characteristic  of  the 
Gospels  on  the  one  hand  and  of  the  Koran  on 
the  other.  It  must  be  that  really  intelligent  and 
upright  Mohammedans  find  it  a  severe  strain  on 
their  credulity  to  believe  that  some  of  these  Suras 
were  revelations  from  God.  We  quote  from 
translations  already  made  into  English  from  the 
Koran  in  Arabic. 


Christian  Ethics 
The  New  Testament 

1.  Whatsoever  ye  would 
that  men  should  do  unto 
you,  even  so  do  ye  also  unto 
them. — Matt.  vii.  12. 

2.  Love  your  enemies  r  do 
good  to  them  that  hate  you, 
and  pray  for  them  that  de- 
spitefully  use  you  and  perse- 
cute you. — Matt.  v.  44. 


3.  Resist  not  evil,  but  who- 
soever smiteth  thee  on  the  right 
cheek,  turn  to  him  the  other 
also. — Matt.  v.jg. 

4.  Every  one  that  looketh 
on  a  woman  to  lust  after  her 
hath  committed  adultery  with 
her  already  in  his  heart. — 
Matt.  v.  28. 


Mohammedan  Ethics 
The  Koran 

1.  Whosoever  transgresseth 
against  you,  do  ye  transgress 
against  him  in  like  manner  as 
he  hath  transgressed  against 
you. — Sura  II. 

2.  War  is  enjoined  upon  you 
against  the  infidels.  When- 
ever they  (his  enemies  at  Me- 
dina) are  found  they  shall  be 
taken  and  killed  with  a  general 
slaughter.  Verily  God  hath 
cursed  the  infidels. — Suras  II, 
XXXIII. 

3.  O  prophet,  attack  the 
infidels.  Their  abode  shall 
be  hell,  an  ill  journey  thither. 
— Sura  LXVI. 

4.  O  prophet,  we  have  al- 
lowed thee  thy  wives  unto 
whom  thou  hast  given  their 
dower,  and  also  the  slaves 
which  thy  right  hand  pos- 
sessed!, and  the  daughters  of 
thy  uncle  and  the  daughters 
of  thy  aunts  ;  and  any  other 
believing  woman  if  she  give 
herself  unto  the  prophet,  in 
case  the  prophet  desireth  to 
take  her  to  wife.  This  is  a 
peculiar  privilege  granted  unto 


98 


Christian  and  Mohammedan 


5.  Every  one  that  putteth 
away  his  wife,  saving  for  the 
cause  of  fornication,  maketh 
her  an  adulteress  and  whoso- 
ever shall  marry  her  when 
she  is  put  away  committeth 
adultery.  What  God  hath 
joined  together,  let  not  man 
put  asunder. — Matt.  v.  32; 
xix.  6. 

6.  Love  thy  neighbour  as 
thyself. — Matt.  xix.  ig. 

Be  perfect  as  your  Father 
in  heaven  is  perfect. — Matt, 
v.  48. 

If  ye  love  Me  keep  My 
commandments. — John  xiv. 
ig. 

Abide  in  Me. — John  xv.  3. 

Because  I  live  ye  shall  live 
also. — John  xiv.  ig. 

Father  forgive  them  for 
they  know  not  what  they 
do. — Luke  xxiii.  34. 

Ye  shall  be  My  witnesses 
unto  the  uttermost  parts  of  the 
earth. — Acts  i.  8. 

Love  suffereth  long  and  is 
kind :  love  envieth  not :  love 
vaunteth  not  itself,  is  not 
puffed  up,  doth  not  behave 
itself  unseemly,  seeketh  not 
its  own,  is  not  easily  pro- 
voked, taketh  no  account  of 
evil,  rejoiceth  not  in  un- 
righteousness, but  rejoiceth 
in  the  truth ;  beareth  all 
things,    believeth   all    things, 


thee  above  the  rest  of  the  true 
believers.— Sura  XXXIII. 

When  ye  ask  of  the  proph- 
et's wives  what  ye  may  have 
occasion  for,  ask  it  of  them 
from  behind  a  curtain.  This 
will  be  more  pure  for  your 
hearts  and  their  hearts. — 
Sura  XXXIII. 

5.  Ye  may  divorce  your 
wives  twice,  but  if  the  hus- 
band divorce  her  a  third  time 
she  shall  not  be  lawful  for 
him  again  until  she  marry 
another  husband. — Sura  II. 

(Propriety  forbids  any  de- 
tails concerning  this  third  di- 
vorce and  remarriage.) 

6.  The  servants  of  the 
Merciful  are  they  that  walk 
upon  the  earth  softly,  and 
when  the  ignorant  speak  unto 
them  they  reply,  Peace. 

They  that  spend  the  night 
worshipping  their  Lord,  pros- 
trate and  standing,  and  that 
say,  "  Oh,  our  Lord,  turn  away 
from  us  the  torment  of  hell : 
verily  from  the  torment 
thereof  there  is  no  release. 
Surely  it  is  an  evil  abode 
and  resting-place.  Those  that 
when  they  spend  are  neither 
profuse  nor  niggardly  but  take 
a  middle  course. 

They  are  they  that  invoke 
not  with  God  any  other  god, 
and  slay  not  a  soul  that  God 
hath  forbidden,  otherwise  than 
by  right :  and  commit  not  for- 
nication, .  .  . 

They  that  bear  not  witness 
to  that  which  is  false,  and 
when  they  pass  by  vain  sport, 
they  pass  it  by  with  dignity. 
They,  who  when  admonished, 


The  Ethical  Problem  99 

hopeth    all    things,    endureth       by  the  revelation  of  the  Lord, 
all  things.  fall  not  down  as  if  deaf  and 

Love  never  faileth.  But  dumb.  Who  say,  Oh,  our 
whether  there  be  prophecies,  Lord,  grant  us  of  our  wives 
they  shall  be  done  away.  and  children  such  as  shall  be 
Whether  there  be  tongues  a  comfort  unto  us,  and  make 
they  shall  cease.  Whether  us  examples  unto  the  pious, 
there    be    knowledge   it  shall  These    shall    be    rewarded 

vanish  away.  with  lofty  mansions  (in  Para- 

Now  abideth  faith,  hope,  dise)  for  that  they  persevered : 
love,  these  three :  and  the  and  they  shall  be  accosted 
greatest  of  these  is  love.  there  with  welcome  and  salu- 

tation. Forever  therein :  a 
fair  abode  and  resting-place. — 
Quoted  in  Muir's  "  Life  of 
Mahomet"  Vol.  II, p.  271. 

It  may  be  objected  that  in  the  first  five  of  these 
quotations  we  have  been  unfair,  quoting  the  best 
things  from  the  New  Testament  and  the  worst 
things  from  the  Koran.     To  this  we  reply : 

1.  There  are  no  worst  or  in  any  degree 
morally  bad  things  to  be  found  in  the  teachings 
of  the  New  Testament,  while  it  is  on  just  such 
things  as  we  have  quoted  from  the  Koran  that 
the  conduct  of  most  Mohammedans  is  based. 

2.  We  have  refrained  from  making  quotations 
from  Mohammedan  tradition  and  extra-Koranic 
instruction  touching  social  conduct,  because  it 
abounds  in  details  too  foul  to  be  tolerated  by 
Christians  of  the  West. 

It  avails  little  to  cull  from  Mussulman  books 
excellent  precepts  if  we  find  them  barren  of 
result  in  the  life,  because  overshadowed  by 
teachings  more  agreeable  to  the  natural  man. 
The  following  is  a  specimen  of  the  mysticism  of 


loo        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

which  some  Mussulmans  are  fond.  Is  it  impress- 
ive or  grotesque?  "A  Mussulman  saint  was 
accosted,  as  he  was  walking  alone,  by  an  angel 
standing  on  his  left  foot.  '  I  have  stood  144,000 
years  on  my  right  foot  and  then  144,000  years 
on  my  left  foot  contemplating  the  glory  of 
God.' " 

Professor  Macdonald  of  Hartford  Theological 
Seminary  has  recently  published  a  book  under 
the  title  "  The  Religious  Attitude  and  Life  in 
Islam."  We  have  read  the  book  with  deep 
interest.  It  is  a  scholarly  work  and  it  is  fascinat- 
ing reading.  The  book  presents  with  great 
force  and  in  detail  the  prevailing  bent  of  the 
Oriental  and  especially  of  the  Mussulman  mind 
towards  the  supernatural,  its  vivid  sense  of  the 
presence  and  power  of  the  Unseen,  and  shows  in 
how  many  and  various  ways  this  presence  and 
power  are  manifested.  Professor  Macdonald 
quotes  extensively  from  two  distinguished  Mus- 
sulman writers,  Ibn  Khaldun  and  al  Ghazzali, 
the  one  a  metaphysician  and  the  other  a  Dervish 
mystic,  of  high  repute,  whose  remarkable  writ- 
ings have  attracted  wide  interest  among  Chris- 
tian scholars  as  well  as  among  Mohammedans. 
Much  light  is  thrown  upon  the  mystical  tenets 
of  Dervish  sects.  In  fact  as  one  reads  Professor 
Macdonald's  book  one  rather  wonders  why  the 
title  of  the  book  had  not  been  "  Metaphysics 
and  Mysticism  in  Islam."     Of  the  religious  life 


The  Ethical  Problem  101 

of  the  Mussulman  peoples  at  large  we  learn  little. 
Of  Oriental  metaphysics  and  of  mysticism  in 
every  conceivable  form  there  is  abundance 
among  Mussulman  peoples,  which  dominates 
their  thinking  as  far  as  they  think  at  all.  But 
the  life  has  little  to  do  with  this.  In  their  appre- 
hension life  and  conduct  are  quite  divorced  from 
religion,  whether  in  respect  of  its  creed  or  its 
ritual.  The  ordinary  Mussulman  performs  his 
religious  duties,  an  opus  operatum,  speculates 
much  or  little,  according  to  the  bent  of  his  mind, 
and  then  lives  morally  as  he  pleases. 

Professor  Macdonald's  work  gives  us,  not  the 
ethical  conditions  of  the  Mussulman  world,  but 
the  ethical  and  religious  teachings  and  struggles 
of  a  few  men  of  mark,  who  were  in  real  though 
unconfessed  revolt  against  the  later,  grossly  un- 
ethical teachings  of  the  Koran  and  the  influence 
of  the  well-known  later  life  of  Mohammed. 
While  we  applaud  those  men  we  cannot  refrain 
from  regretting  the  necessity  under  which  they 
felt  themselves  to  be  of  continuing  to  call  them- 
selves Mohammedans.  Muslim  they  were,  in 
the  true  etymological  sense  of  the  word. 


VIII 

THE  EXAMPLE  OF  CHRIST  AND  THAT 
OF  MOHAMMED 

WE  all  know  that  our  lives  are  molded 
by  example  vastly  more  than  by 
doctrinal  teaching.  Who  of  us  has 
not  been  profoundly  influenced  by  parental  ex- 
ample ?  Who  does  not  remember  some  appar- 
ently casual  word,  some  act  of  parent  or  teacher, 
on  which  his  very  character  and  course  of  life 
has  turned  as  on  a  hinge  ?  Given  a  nature  whose 
moral  bent  is  downward,  rather  than  upward,  it 
is  not  the  uplifting  forces  which  are  the  most 
potent,  but  those  forces,  the  rather,  which  tend 
to  pull  down  and  to  lessen  the  commanding 
power  of  conscience.  When  the  example  set 
before  men  is  that  of  one  they  are  taught  from 
childhood  profoundly  to  revere,  the  power  of 
such  example  far  transcends  that  of  all  other  in- 
fluences, teachings  or  commands  put  together. 
It  is  not  the  matchless  teaching  alone  but  that 
teaching,  illustrated  and  illuminated  and  enforced 
by  the  life  and  example  of  Jesus  Christ  and  sealed 
by  His  voluntary  death  for  men  which  has  ever 
been  the  one  vital  and  victorious  force  of  Chris- 
tianity in  our  world. 

102 


Christ  and  Mohammed  103 

We  are  more  than  simply  aware,  we  are  keenly 
sensitive  to  the  fact  that  in  referring  to  the  ex- 
ample of  the  prophet  of  Arabia  on  its  moral 
side,  we  are  venturing  to  touch  a  subject  from 
which  profane  hands  are  warned  off  by  all 
Mohammedans.  But  we  cannot  work  intelli- 
gently for  Mussulman  peoples  till  we  know  that 
moral  handicap  which  has  made  friendly  and 
well-informed  persons  insist  that  the  only  reform 
possible  in  a  Mohammedan  community  involves 
a  revolutionary  change  in  the  practical  ethics  of 
their  religion. 

Any  correct  and  useful  diagnosis  of  a  disease 
requires  both  intelligence,  thoroughness  and 
honesty  in  the  physician,  and  sympathy  with  the 
patient.  Even  an  internal  ulcer  does  not  defy 
remedial  measures,  if  they  are  faithfully  and 
fearlessly  applied  before  it  is  too  late. 

Let  it  not  be  forgotten  that  our  object  in  this 
writing  is  not  criticism.  It  is  not  to  furnish 
material  for  successful  controversy,  but  solely  to 
help  possible  candidates  for  work  among  Mo- 
hammedans, and  also  to  help  others  who  may 
desire,  as  they  are  able,  to  discharge,  intelligently 
and  sympathetically,  their  Christian  duty  towards 
these  peoples,  to  measure  the  depth  of  the  pit 
into  which  Mohammedans  have  been  thrown  and 
in  which  they  grope  and  vainly  struggle  till  helped 
out  by  the  love  which  had  its  origin  at  Bethlehem 
and  on  Calvary. 


104        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

We  meet  at  once,  as  we  propose  to  enter  the 
forbidden  ground  of  inquiry,  two  facts  :  first,  a  dis- 
position on  the  part  of  leaders  among  Moham- 
medans to  veil  from  curious  and  critical  eyes  the 
domestic  and  personal  life  of  their  prophet ;  sec- 
ondly, his  followers  declare  that,  as  Mohammed 
was  the  favourite  of  heaven,  he  had  special  priv- 
ileges. They  do  this  while  acknowledging  that 
Mohammed  claimed  the  right  to  resort  to  de- 
ception, treachery  and  assassination  to  a  degree 
condemned  even  by  heathen  Arabs,  and  to  in- 
crease his  harem  to  an  extent  denied  to  his  most 
faithful  followers, — except  the  free  perquisite  of 
unlimited  concubinage  with  women  captives  in 
war  time. 

Among  these  privileges  was  the  right  to  please 
himself  in  things  where  his  appetite  was  strongest. 
He  was  especially  fond  of  women.  Therefore  as 
he  was  a  very  holy  man  he  could  have  as  many  as 
he  wished,  even  to  taking  the  wife  of  his  adopted 
son  and  claiming  a  special  divine  revelation  per- 
mitting the  gratification  of  his  lust.  And  no 
Mussulman,  much  less  an  "  infidel,"  has  any 
license  to  criticize.  That  is  to  say,  sin  is  a 
privilege  which  God  may  grant,  and  the  higher  a 
man  mounts  towards  God,  and  the  more  accept- 
able he  is  in  the  divine  presence,  the  freer  he  be 
comes  to  descend  to  the  use  of  the  lowest  and 
most  execrable  means  to  gain  his  ends ;  the  more 
he  can  defy  criticism  when  he  makes  deception  a 


Christ  and  Mohammed  105 

fine  art  and  indulges  his  sensual  appetites  beyond 
what  even  he  perm!  «  to  others  ! 

The  violence  thus  done  to  the  moral  sense  is 
amazing.  What  is  demanded  of  Mohammedans 
is  that  they  veil  the  facts  of  their  prophet's  later 
life  and  example,  and  hedge  and  shuffle  when 
asked  if  they  approve  all  this. 

The  position  is  so  revolting  that  as  Christian 
influence  extends  in  the  world  a  reaction  must 
come  even  against  a  teaching  and  a  habit  of  mind 
maintained  for  almost  1,300  years.  Thoughtful 
Mussulmans,  when  they  read  the  Gospels,  will 
yet  be  shocked  at  the  immeasurable  contrast  to 
their  prophet  revealed  in  the  life,  example  and 
teaching  of  Jesus  Christ. 

We  are  glad  to  believe  that  some  devotees  of 
Islam  have  lived  closer  to  the  theology  and  the 
better  ethical  teaching  of  their  faith  than  could 
be  expected  from  the  large  license  granted  to 
the  senses  in  the  Koran  itself,  and  from  the  in- 
fluence of  the  known  facts  of  their  prophet's  later 
life. 

The  fact  that  Mohammedans  couple  with  the 
doctrine  of  the  sinlessness  of  prophets  the  doc- 
trine that  the  grossest  indulgence  of  the  sense 
desires  is  a  lawful  perquisite  of  these  holy  men  is 
hideous.  We  can  conceive  of  its  being  cherished 
by  sane  men  only  on  the  supposition  that  the 
moral  sense  is  atrophied.  It  is  a  fact,  however 
amazing  it  may  seem,  as  evidenced  by  the  expert 


ic6        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

testimonies  quoted  in  this  chapter,  that  this 
atrophy  of  the  moral  sense  has  become  so  com- 
plete even  in  most  respectable  Mohammedans 
that  they  often  claim  to  see  no  wrong  in  Mo- 
hammed's later  life.  They  are  too  blind  to  rec- 
ognize the  moral  contrast  between  their  prophet 
and  Jesus  Christ. 

"  When  the  prophet's  weakness  was  generally 
known  fair  women  either  presented  themselves  or 
were  sent  to  him  from  various  parts  of  Arabia, 
or  the  husbands  of  fair  and  fruitful  women  offered 
to  hand  them  over  to  the  prophet  (he  had  nine 
wives  already  besides  concubines)  and  indeed  at 
Medina  whenever  a  woman  became  a  widow  her 
relations  would  not  find  her  a  husband  before 
asking  whether  the  prophet  wanted  her."  x 

Sir  William  Muir,  in  his  «  Life  of  Mahomet," 
Vol  II,  pp.  90-96,  draws  a  comparison,  which  is 
in  fact  a  sharp  contrast,  between  the  temptation 
of  Christ  and  that  of  Mohammed,  or  rather  be- 
tween the  way  each  met  essentially  the  same 
temptation.  This  has  been  criticized  by  able 
men,  but  the  great  contrast  between  Mohammed's 
later  and  his  earlier  years  and  between  some  of 
the  later  and  the  earlier  Suras  finds  its  logical  ex- 
planation in  Sir  William  Muir's  comparison. 

We  devote  the  remainder  of  this  chapter  to 
some  of  the  answers  received  to  questions  4  and 
5  as  given  in  the  Introduction. 

1  Margoliouth's  "  Mohammed,"  p.  351. 


Christ  and  Mohammed  107 

Two  missionaries  working  among  the  Shiite 
Mohammedans  of  Persia,  and  to  some  extent 
missionaries  in  India  also  testify  to  the  sensitive- 
ness of  Mohammedans  to  the  degeneracy  of  their 
prophet's  later  life  and  to  their  appreciation  of 
the  contrast  between  his  life  and  that  of  Jesus 
Christ.— S.  M.  J.,  H.  C.  S.,  E.  M.  W.,  H.  U.  W. 

Others  say  that  neither  of  these  matters  can 
be  discussed  with  Mohammedans  without  making 
them  angry.  If  they  see  what  we  see  they  will 
not  confess  it.— A.  Y.  T.,  G.  Y.  H.,  W.  A.  F., 
J.  C.  Y.,  J.  E.,  L.  M.  H.,  T.  D.  C. 

The  following  testimonies  are  more  in  detail, 
and  are  given  with  slight  abridgment. 

"  I  have  never  met  any  one  who  was  sensitive 
to  the  degeneracy  of  Mohammed's  later  life. 
Nor  do  I  see  how  they  should  be.  Taught  to 
regard  Mohammed  as  the  perfect  man,  infallible 
by  virtue  of  his  office,  they  are  not  in  a  position 
to  judge :  and  the  free  thinkers  among  them  do 
not  seem  to  study  his  life.  The  doctrine  called 
Ismet  ul  Enbia  (sinlessness  of  the  prophets)  seems 
to  remove  all  comparison  of  the  character  of 
Mohammed  with  that  of  Christ  from  their  plane 
of  thought"— D.  S.  M. 

"Those  who  have  studied  the  life  of  Jesus 
notice  the  marked  moral  contrast  between  His 
character  and  that  of  Mohammed,  but  the  masses 
still  read  such  lives  of  Mohammed  as  are  grotesque 
in  their  unhistoric  character.     This  is  very  evi- 


108        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

dent  from  the  publication  in  India  of  such  books 
as  Carlyle's  "  Hero  Worship  "  and  other  apologies 
for  the  life  of  Mohammed,  such  as  those  written 
by  Ameer  Ali,  etc.  Dr.  Koelle  rightly  called 
attention  to  the  contrast  between  the  Mohammed 
of  history  and  the  Mohammed  of  tradition. 
Neither  of  these  two  pictures  satisfy  the  edu- 
cated Mohammedans  of  to-day.  The  first  is 
too  truthful  and  the  second  is  too  absurd." — 
S.  M.  Z. 

"  I  have  found  only  one  Mussulman  sensitive 
to  the  degeneracy  of  Mohammed's  later  life.  He 
graduated  from  our  college  two  years  ago.  He 
is  the  son  of  a  very  liberal  minded  pasha,  and  is 
now  in  Constantinople  attending  an  advanced 
Mussulman  school  and  anticipating  courses  in  the 
Universities  of  Paris  and  of  Oxford.  He  was  an 
exceptional  student  in  every  branch  of  knowl- 
edge he  touched.  In  my  Bible  class  he  stood  at 
the  head  of  the  list  of  some  very  bright  Christians. 
After  being  in  the  class  about  three  months  he 
volunteered  the  remark  to  me  that  he  never 
before  had  any  idea  of  what  true  Christianity 
meant,  that  the  Christians  here  give  the  Moham- 
medans no  idea  of  what  true  Christianity  is.  On 
account  of  his  attacking  the  life  of  Mohammed 
in  the  presence  of  his  uncle,  he  is  now  under 
surveillance,  and  will  not  be  permitted  to  go  to 
Europe  until  he  is  more  matured. 

"  The  reason  Mohammedans  do  not  see  the 


Christ  and  Mohammed  109 

contrast  between  the  character  of  Mohammed 
and  that  of  Christ  I  believe  to  be  largely  their 
ignorance  of  the  life  of  Christ." — J.  P.  McN. 

"  When  reading  the  Gospels  with  some  Mus- 
sulman sheikhs,  we  repeatedly  heard  their  ex- 
pressions of  wonder  and  admiration  of  Christ's 
character  and  doings,  but  never  was  a  parallel  to 
Mohammed's  life  drawn  or  tolerated." — J.  E. 

"  If  education  is  freed,  in  time  Mohammedans 
will  know  the  real  character  of  Mohammed,  and 
will  revolt  from  the  idea  that  his  physical  power 
of  sensualism  is  a  proud  mark  of  his  divine  ap- 
pointment as  a  prophet." — H.  O.  D. 

"  The  historical  facts,  as  we  accept  them,  are 
not  generally  admitted.  When  admitted  they 
are  justified  on  the  ground  that  Mohammed  was 
a  favoured  prophet,  was  above  law,  that  every- 
thing was  lawful  to  him,  and  that  the  precepts 
of  his  law  were  not  binding  on  him.  Liberals 
who  accept  the  facts  are  so  far  from  the  faith 
that  they  do  not  think  it  necessary  to  apologize 
for  them.  Shiah  lives  of  Mohammed  are  so  full 
of  exaggeration  and  fable  that  the  ordinary  Mus- 
sulman does  not  appreciate  the  difference.  They 
are  both  sinless  according  to  his  notion." — 
S.  G.  W. 

"  The  more  intelligent  Mussulmans  are  sensitive 
to  the  degeneracy  of  Mohammed's  later  life.  A 
Kurdish  Agha,  in  conversation  with  me  a  few 
years  ago,  remarked  that  Christ  was  superior  to 


iio        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

Mohammed,  and  that  Christ's  religion  was  su- 
perior to  the  religion  of  Mohammed.  Moham- 
med taught  his  followers  to  lie  and  steal,  to  kill 
and  to  take  many  wives,  etc.,  while  Christ  taught 
His  disciples  to  love  truth,  purity  and  peace,  and 
when  smitten  on  one  cheek  to  turn  the  other, 
etc.  To  this  he  added,  after  a  moment's  reflec- 
tion, '  I  notice,  however,  that  while  we  Moham- 
medans obey  the  precepts  of  our  prophet  (as 
above)  you  Christians  do  not  obey  the  precepts 
of  Christ.'  "— E.  M.  McD. 

"  Devotees  of  Islam  are  sensitive  to  the  de- 
generacy of  Mohammed's  later  life  to  the  extent 
that  they  try  to  explain  it  away.  Their  refuge 
is  that  Mohammed  acted  as  God's  messenger. 
It  was  Moses  and  the  Amalekites.  Many  of 
them  appreciate  the  contrast  between  Christ  and 
Mohammed,  and  this  has  unhinged  the  faith  of 
many  in  Islam." — E.  M.  W. 

"  To  some  extent  the  degeneracy  is  recognized. 
Ameer  Ali's  '  Spirit  of  Islam '  fairly  represents 
the  apology  of  those  who  feel  the  contrast  be- 
tween Christ  and  Mohammed,  as  the  thoughtful 
and  non-bigoted  ones  do  to  some  extent,  but 
they  adjust  the  balance  by  laying  stress  on  the 
necessities  of  secular  policy." — H.  U.  W. 

"  A  few  only  admit  the  degeneracy  of 
Mohammed's  latdr  life,  and  these  will  not  admit 
it  in  the  presence  of  other  Mohammedans.  Islam 
holds  all  prophets  sinless,  but  the  few  mentioned 


Christ  and  Mohammed  1 1 1 

above  would  acknowledge  our  Lord's  superior- 
ity."-J.  G. 

"  Some  Mohammedans  will  admit  that  Jesus 
lived  a  purer  life,  even  the  purest  life  of  any  man. 
But  Mohammed  being  a  prophet,  what  he  did 
was  excusable.  Yet  they  often  note  the  contrast 
between  his  life  and  that  of  Jesus." — A.  K.  B. 

"  Very  few  Mussulmans  will  allow  anything 
like  degeneracy  in  Mohammed's  life.  I  know  a 
group  of  men  who  thoroughly  appreciate  the 
fact  that  Mohammed  committed  gross  sins, 
especially  in  his  later  life ;  but  these  men  are  not 
really  Mohammedans.  They  confess  that  they 
have  left  Islam.  The  common  answer  is  that  no 
prophet  is  reckoned  sinful  by  God. 

"  An  increasing  number  of  Mohammedans 
appreciate  the  moral  contrast  between  the  life 
of  Jesus  and  that  of  Mohammed.  They  acknowl- 
edge this  in  private.  Many  of  the  peasants  are 
deeply  impressed  with  this  from  direct  reading 
of  the  Gospels  in  contrast  with  the  traditions  they 
have  heard  from  the  Khodjas." — S.  V.  R.  T. 

"  What  we  in  the  interior  find  is  a  reverence 
for  the  prophet  which  is  assumed  to  be  indisputa- 
ble. Unless  wishing  to  provoke  antagonism,  it 
is  not  well  to  explain  the  facts  of  his  human 
weakness.  In  the  mind  of  our  Mohammedan 
friend  is  a  fixed  apotheosis,  upon  which  he  en- 
larges in  a  variety  of  the  most  extravagant 
expressions  of  praise.     The  times  have  not  been 


1 1 2        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

such  as  to  warrant  our  bringing  forward  a  dispute 
concerning  the  moral  character  of  Mohammed. 
I  remember  how  in  the  time  of  Sultan  Abdul 
Aziz  the  young  officers  at  Marash,  at  the  Rama- 
zan  fast,  would  close  the  doors,  smoke  their 
cigarettes,  and  speak  disrespectfully  of  the 
prophet ;  but  all  that  has  been  changed  during 
these  later  years.  Now  he  is  spoken  of  as  their 
intercessor,  by  whom  they  will  pray  to  God,  and 
the  difficulty  in  such  questions  of  moral  character 
is  that  if  a  corrupt  life  is  affirmed,  and  even 
proved,  it  is  not  found  to  mar  at  all  the  exalted 
honours  which  the  prophet  is  supposed  to  enjoy. 
"  The  method  which  for  myself  I  have  preferred 
(taking  advantage  of  the  fact  that  I  am  conceded 
to  be  a  man  of  the  Sacred  Book)  is  to  divert  the 
conversation  in  such  a  way  as  to  tell  with  the 
greatest  simplicity  and  earnestness  possible  just 
what,  in  our  experience,  we  find  our  Risen  and 
Glorified  Lord  really  to  be  to  us ;  — that  He  hears 
our  prayers  ;  intercedes  for  us ;  sends  to  us  the 
Holy  Spirit  of  Power;  and  especially  to  show 
that  He  is  working  among  all  the  events  of 
history  of  the  world,  to  prepare  for  His  future 
kingdom  which  is  to  extend  over  the  whole 
earth.  Since  I  have  not,  in  saying  these  things, 
antagonized  their  system,  they  do  not  usually 
resist  my  expression  of  testimony  as  to  what  my 
Lord  is  to  me.  Even  if  they  dislike  it  they  will 
only    somehow    change   the   conversation ;   and 


Christ  and  Mohammed  1 1 3 

oftentimes  they  get  off  from  the  main  point  by 
some  talk  concerning  signs  and  wonders. 

"  One  of  our  Vali  Pashas,  after  a  talk  of  this 
kind,  covered  himself  with  many  words  on  Pan- 
theistic philosophy,  showing  really  that  he  was 
not  at  heart  a  true  Mussulman ;  and  another  said 
that  in  our  Protestant  worship  we  should  use  our 
one  hundred  ascriptions  of  praise,  with  a  great 
variety  of  expression,"  etc. — H.  T.  P. 

"  Mohammedans  are  sensitive  to  any  criticism 
of  Mohammed.  The  other  day  in  an  interview 
with  a  young  man  who  seems  to  be  a  sincere 
convert  to  Christianity,  he  told  me  that  Moham- 
med's low  moral  character  was  one  of  the  causes 
that  led  him  to  distrust  Islam.  The  contrast 
between  the  sword  of  Mohammed  and  the  gentle- 
ness of  Jesus  is  effective,  as  is  the  contrast  between 
the  death  of  Christ  and  that  of  Hussein  in  the 
massacre  of  Kerbala,  the  latter  fighting  sword  in 
hand.  Still  the  effect  is  largely  neutralized  by 
the  vicious  conception  of  morality  as  grounded 
in  arbitrary  commands  of  God  instead  of  in  His 
character."— W.  A.  S. 

"  While  recognizing  and  not  liking  to  talk 
about  the  degeneracy  of  Mohammed's  life  and 
while  admiring  Christ's  life,  Mohammedans  say, 
"  What  has  that  to  do  with  religion  ?  Religion 
is  a  matter  of  holding  a  correct  creed  and  has 
nothing  to  do  with  morality.  It  is  a  common 
saying  with  them  that  no  prophet  has  sinned,  and 


1 14        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

if  one  brings  forward  awkward  statements  to  the 
contrary,  one  is  met  with  the  answer, '  But  he 
taught  the  truth  without  error  and  held  it.'  I 
have  seen  a  man  in  jail  for  atrocious  murders  of 
children,  and  while  his  keeper  admitted  that  he 
had  done  the  murders,  he  added, '  Government 
ought  not  to  punish  this  man ;  he  is  such  a  good 
man,  always  observing  the  hours  of  prayer.' 

"  Another  time  I  was  preaching  about  some 
Mohammedans  who  had  committed  burglary  and 
murder,  and  one  of  my  hearers  said, '  But  they 
are  good  men ;  before  breaking  into  the  house 
they  said,  '  Bismillah,'  and  so  what  they  did  was 
in  the  name  of  God  and  there  was  no  harm  in  it.' 
A  friend  of  mine  was  challenged  in  a  bazaar  to 
give  proof  of  the  superior  truth  of  Christianity  to 
Islam,  and  he  replied  by  saying  that  the  lives  of 
Indian  Christians  were,  in  the  judgment  of  their 
neighbours,  better  than  the  lives  of  their  Moham- 
medan and  Hindu  neighbours.  An  educated 
and  intelligent  Mohammedan  who  was  standing 
by  said, '  Yes,  we  all  admit  that,  but  what  has 
that  to  do  with  religion  ?  '  So  all  that  know 
anything  of  the  lives  of  Christ  and  Mohammed 
will  admit  that  the  one  cannot  be  compared  to 
the  other,  but  will  say,  •  What  difference  does 
that  make  ?  What  has  that  to  do  with  religion  ? ' " 
— T.  B. 

"  Some  of  those  who  are  enlightened  and  whose 
moral    standard    has   been   raised   by   Western 


Christ  and  Mohammed  115 

culture  are  sensitive  to  Mohammed's  moral  lapse, 
yet  they  say, '  Mohammed's  life  should  be  judged 
according  to  the  moral  standard  of  the  people  of 
his  age.  They  find  that  he  was  far  superior  to 
those  whom  he  addressed,  and  brought  many 
out  of  darkness,  and  directed  them  towards  the 
best  standards  of  morality  which  could  be  had  at 
that  time.  His  mission,  they  say,  was  to  preach 
the  unity  of  God.  To  a  certain  extent  they  rec- 
ognize the  contrast  between  the  life  of  Christ 
and  that  of  Mohammed,  but  they  say  that  Christ 
lived  only  thirty-three  years,  and  out  of  that  we 
know  of  only  three  years  of  His  life.  We  do 
not  know  what  He  had  been  doing  during  the 
thirty  years.  Mohammed  lived  twenty-five  years 
with  Khadijah,  and  we  see  no  spot  in  his  life. 
After  this  if  he  ever  allowed  the  slaughter  of 
some  persons  it  was  in  self-defense.  If  he  took 
more  wives  it  was  justified  according  to  that  age. 
If  he  exceeded  the  limit  fixed  for  other  Mussul- 
mans, this  was  allowed  by  God  for  some  special 
reasons.  They  admit  that  in  the  last  ten  years 
of  his  life  we  see  that  there  was  in  him  the  spirit 
of  revenge  towards  his  enemies  whom  he  con- 
sidered the  enemies  of  God.  But  it  was  in  the 
same  spirit  as  Moses,  Joshua,  David  and  other 
Jewish  kings  acted.  There  is  nothing  objection- 
able in  this."— A.  S. 

"  The  Mohammedans  whom  I  know  do  not 
regard  Mohammed's  life  as  degenerate  in  any  re- 


1 16        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

spect.  It  was  directed  and  permitted  by  God, 
and  so  cannot  be  degenerate.  They  do  not  feel 
that  Mohammedans  are  more  degenerate  than 
the  Christians  surrounding  them,  and  regard  the 
Christians  as  immoral  and  profligate  because  of 
their  adultery  and  fornication,  while  they  think 
of  themselves,  although  having  more  than  one 
wife  and  concubines,  or  frequently  divorcing  their 
wives  and  marrying  others,  as  being  moral  and 
pure.  What  they  do  and  their  manner  of  life 
has  the  sanction  of  heaven,  as  taught  in  the 
Koran  and  practiced  by  the  prophet.  The  Mo- 
hammedans of  Egypt  have  never  studied  the  life 
of  Jesus.  The  recent  distribution  of  tract  liter- 
ature on  Christ  and  Mohammed — the  infallible 
prophet — has  drawn  the  attention  of  some  to  the 
great  contrast  between  the  lives  of  Christ  and 
Mohammed.  Their  stubborn  persistence  in  re- 
garding all  efforts  to  set  forth  the  moral  character 
of  Mohammed  as  viewed  by  Christians,  as 
merely  attempts  to  abuse  him  and  insult  his 
memory,  has  prevented  them  from  being  influ- 
enced by  the  gospel  record  of  the  spirit  and 
holiness  of  Christ's  character." — Pres.  Alexander. 
"  I  have  not  met  with  any  Mohammedan  in 
Malabar  who  would  assent  to  this  fact  of  any 
moral  lapse.  The  Mohammedan  is  quite  differ- 
ent in  this  respect  from  his  Hindu  brother,  who, 
as  a  rule,  will  freely  admit  the  moral  degeneracy 
of  his  gods. 


Christ  and  Mohammed  1 1 7 

« No  Mohammedan  will  acknowledge  the 
moral  contrast  between  Mohammed  and  Christ, 
but  the  great  efforts  being  put  forth  recently  by 
Mohammedans  in  Malabar  to  disprove  the  sin- 
lessness  of  Jesus  are,  in  my  opinion,  a  sure  indi- 
cation that  they  are  conscious  of  the  moral  su- 
periority of  Jesus,  although  they  are  unwilling  to 
own  it. 

"  In  my  dealings  with  Mohammedans  I  inva- 
riably point  out  the  moral  contrast  between  the 
life  of  Jesus  and  that  of  Mohammed,  but  I  do  not 
remember  a  single  case  in  which  a  Mohammedan 
admitted  the  moral  preeminence  of  Christ.  Once 
I  was  talking  on  this  very  subject  to  a  pious  and 
sensible  Mussulman  who  possesses  a  fair  knowl- 
edge of  the  Gospel.  In  the  course  of  our  con- 
versation I  saw  that  the  man  was  deeply  affected 
by  the  instances  I  brought  forward  from  the 
Gospel  and  the  Koran  showing  the  contrast  be- 
tween Christ's  sinlessness  and  Mohammed's  sin- 
ful acts,  and  the  consciousness  of  his  own  sinful- 
ness ;  and  in  order  to  deepen  the  impression 
already  made  on  the  mind  of  the  man,  I  offered 
him  a  tract  written  by  the  late  Dr.  Gundert,  on 
Mohammed's  life  and  work.  He  had  already 
stretched  out  his  hand  to  take  the  tract,  when  he 
suddenly  drew  it  back  and  said, '  I  had  better  not 
take  it.  All  kinds  of  questions  and  doubts 
might  be  raised  in  my  mind  about  the  great 
prophet   by  the  reading  of  this  book,  and  this 


1 18        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

would  turn  out  a  sin  to  me.'  And  no  words  of 
mine  could  persuade  the  man  to  accept  the  tract. 
He  wanted  to  deliberately  shut  his  eyes  to  the 
contrast  mentioned  above.  I  remember  also  the 
following  remark  made  by  that  man :  '  No 
prophet  is  absolutely  sinless,  but  there  is  a  vast 
difference  between  the  sins  of  prophets  and  those 
of  common  men.  The  sins  of  prophets  are  but 
subtle  sins,  so  subtle  that  we  common  men  are 
not  in  a  position  to  pass  judgment  on  them.' 

"  It  is  but  natural  and  psychologically  quite 
easy  to  understand  that  Mohammedans  deny  the 
palpable  difference  between  Christ's  sinlessness 
and  Mohammed's  moral  degeneracy,  for  if  they 
acknowledged  this  one  great  fact,  they  would  be 
obliged  to  go  on  and  to  accept  the  absolute 
claims  of  Christ  on  their  conscience  and  faith." — 
W.  B. 


IX 

A  SEARCH-LIGHT 

THE  massacres  of  Christians  by  Moham- 
medans which  have  in  very  recent  as 
in  earlier  years  horrified  Christendom 
have  been  carried  out  in  strict  accord  with  the 
Canon  law.  In  the  "  Multeka  "  the  doctrine  is 
set  forth  that  killing  is  less  evil  than  sedition.  So 
if  men  or  a  people  are  believed  to  be  planning 
insurrection,  they  are  to  be  killed,  their  posses- 
sions seized,  their  women  captured,  and  this  un- 
der the  rule  of  the  Jehad,  or  sacred  war.  So 
those  orgies  of  carnage  and  arson,  attended  by 
treachery  and  falsehood,  by  infernal  cruelty  and 
beastly  lust,  are  the  natural  fruit  of  Moham- 
med's ethical  teaching  and  example  at  Medina. 

The  law  of  expediency  may  rule  out  these 
manifestations  for  many  a  year.  Honied  inter- 
pretations of  Islamic  teaching  may  be  forthcom- 
ing to  soothe  irritated  Christendom.  But  the 
tiger  and  the  python  are  only  sleeping.  So  long 
as  Islam  is  an  armed  power  in  the  world  such 
events  may  be  expected  to  recur. 

On  such  dread  occasions  the  humane  conduct 
of  some  Turks,  who  have  saved  Christians  at 
119 


1 20        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

great  personal  risk,  is  worthy  of  all  praise.  It 
illustrates  the  call  of  humanity  in  opposition  to 
Canon  law,  just  as  the  conduct  of  those  roused 
by  religious  fanaticism  to  the  commission  of 
murder,  arson  and  rapine  is  inhumanity  defying 
all  restraint  in  its  mad  career. 

But  let  us  see  to  it  that  the  wrath  which  is 
justly  kindled  against  these  outrages  upon  hu- 
manity is  directed,  not  against  our  brother  men, 
but  against  that  shocking  travesty  of  ethics 
which  has,  to  faithful  Mohammedans,  unques- 
tionably justified  the  very  acts  of  indescribable 
horror  which  have,  from  time  to  time,  shaken 
Christendom  like  an  earthquake.  Let  us  do  all 
that  present  opportunities  permit  to  instill  into 
the  minds  of  Mussulman  born  youths  those 
principles  of  moral  life  and  conduct  which  have 
their  vital  roots  in  the  religion  of  Jesus  of  Naz- 
areth alone,  and  their  illustration  in  the  lives  of 
His  faithful  followers. 

Much  has  been  written  concerning  the  degra- 
dation of  women  under  Islam.  Alas,  that  it  is 
all  true  !  But  much  more  is  also  true.  Men 
have  thrust  women  into  a  position  below  them- 
selves. How  about  the  men  in  the  process? 
Have  they  not  also  dropped  down,  even  to  a 
lower  level  ? 

A  Mussulman  gentleman,  surprised  at  the 
words  of  Christ  in  Matthew  v.  28,  said,  "  Why 
of  course  I  wish  for  a  concubine  any  fair  woman 


A  Search-Light  121 

I  see."  Knowing  his  prophet's  example,  why 
not? 

The  women  are  the  mothers  of  the  men,  and 
among  Mussulman  peoples,  the  child  through  all 
his  early,  plastic  life,  is  within  the  precincts  of 
the  harem,  with  the  mother  far  more  than  with 
the  father. 

What  revenges  woman  takes  upon  the  man 
who  thrusts  her  down  !  Look  behind  the  lattices 
of  the  harems  of  the  great  and  see.  Those  who 
have  looked  tell  of  offenses  against  chastity 
which  cannot  be  here  mentioned  in  detail. 

How  low  Mohammedan  women  can  volun- 
tarily descend  the  writer  once  learned  to  his 
horror  from  one  who  knew,  and  whom  he  could 
not  even  suspect  of  deceiving  or  of  exaggerat- 
ing. Among  the  rude  Mohammedans  of  Central 
Asia  the  sin  condemned  in  Leviticus  xviii.  23  is 
elaborately  practiced  and  taught  by  the  elder  to 
the  younger  women. 

When  we  condemn  polygamy  Mohammedans 
often  point  to  that  shame  of  Christendom,  the 
polyandry  of  our  great  cities.  They  know  as 
well  as  we  do  that  in  the  one  case  men  are  act- 
ing according  to  the  teaching  of  their  religion 
and  the  example  of  its  promulgator,  while  in  the 
other  the  acts  committed  are  in  defiance  of  the 
most  explicit  commands  of  the  Founder  of  the 
religion. 

Another  fact  requires  to  be  mentioned.     The 


122        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

whole  system  of  mechanical  defenses  of  chastity 
in  women,  which  characterizes  Islam,  did  not 
exist  in  Arabia  in  the  earlier  time.  It  had  its 
origin  among  the  devotees  of  Islam  in  the 
necessity  Mohammed  found  himself  under  of  in 
some  way  guarding  his  increasing  harem  in  his 
later  life.  It  can  hardly  be  claimed  that  this 
system  raised  the  social  morality  of  Semitic 
peoples.  Indeed  the  .whole  mechanical  device  of 
guards  of  neuter  gender  for  harems,  of  lattices, 
veils,  forced  seclusion,  has  been  a  powerful  stimu- 
lant to  immorality  and  unchastity.  "  Why,"  I 
once  asked  a  Turkish  gentleman  of  high  posi- 
tion, "  in  your  burial  service  do  you  associate  the 
mother's  name,  not  the  father's,  with  the  personal 
name  of  the  deceased  ?  "  "  Because  then  and  there 
we  dare  not  lie.  We  know  who  the  mother 
is  :  we  cannot  be  sure  we  know  the  father.' ' 

The  moral  degeneracy  witnessed  in  Mussul- 
man races  has  been  checked  so  that  it  has  not  re- 
sulted in  the  destruction  of  a  race,  by  the  sterner 
virtues  required  in  war,  or  by  life  in  the  open  air 
of  scattered  and  nomad  races.1 

1  It  has  been  stated  that  the  recent  revolution  in  Turkey  has 
greatly  changed  the  condition  of  Mussulman  women.  The 
statement  is  misleading.  The  condition  of  nine  hundred  and 
ninety-nine  out  of  every  thousand  Mussulman  women  has  not 
materially  changed  during  the  last  three  years.  They  are, 
however,  somewhat  more  free  than  formerly  in  going  unveiled 
in  semi-public  places,  and  the  desire  for  education  is  spreading 
among  them. 


A  Search-Light  123 

Moslem  Revolt 

All  Shiah  Mussulmans  reverence  Ali,  the 
fourth  Calif,  above  Mohammed.  Among  all 
Mussulman  peoples  there  are  numerous  sects  of 
Dervishes.  The  adherents  of  these  sects  revere 
the  founder  of  their  order  more  than  they  do 
Mohammed.  Even  devotees  of  the  Bektashi 
order,  the  freest  of  them  all,  are  very  cautious 
about  saying  a  word  to  a  stranger  derogatory  to 
the  character  of  Mohammed.  Yet  the  more  en- 
lightened of  this  order,  the  esoterics,  hold  to 
ethical  principles  much  nearer  to  those  of  the 
New  Testament  than  to  those  of  the  Koran. 
For  example,  they  permit  no  second  marriage 
while  the  first  wife  is  living,  except  in  case  of 
chronic  illness  or  childlessness  of  the  first  wife, 
and  then  only  with  her  consent. 

There  is  one  tribe  of  Kurds,  called  the  Kuzzel- 
bash  (red  heads),  numbering  many  thousands  and 
widely  scattered  in  Turkey.  They  are  of  Chris- 
tian origin.  Their  religion  is  hardly  Moham- 
medan at  all.  It  is  a  mixture  of  paganism  with 
Christianity,  with  a  thin  veneer  of  Islam.     Many 

At  Constantinople  there  is  a  small  group  of  highly  cultivated 
Moslem  women,  the  sisters  of  the  president  of  the  Chamber  of 
Deputies  prominent  as  leaders,  who  are  working  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  first-class  college  for  Turkish  girls.  There  have 
always  been  a  very  few  Moslem  women,  two  or  three  in  a  gen- 
eration, who  have  gained  distinction  as  writers,  while  the 
secret  influence  of  some  women  has  sometimes  decisively  in- 
fluenced public  affairs. 


124        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

years  ago  the  writer  visited  two  of  their  villages. 
He  found  the  hair  and  beard  of  every  one  of 
those  "  red  heads "  as  black  as  a  coal.  Tall, 
splendid  fellows  they  were  physically.  It  was 
regarded  as  a  shame  for  any  of  their  women  to 
know  how  to  read ;  very  few  of  the  men  could 
read.  The  entire  population  of  those  villages 
wished  to  declare  themselves  Christians  if  they 
could  be  assured  protection  in  so  doing. 

It  is  supposed  by  many  that  the  Mohammedan 
world  is  a  unit.  Mohammedans  themselves  some- 
times claim  that  they  are  undivided  in  their  faith 
and  in  their  discharge  of  its  duties.  It  is  boldly 
proclaimed  that  the  Sultan  of  Turkey  is  by  Mo- 
hammedans the  world  over  recognized  as  the 
Calif,  the  successor  of  Mohammed.  Christians 
hold  up  these  supposed  facts  to  the  shame  of 
Christendom  for  its  division  into  many  sects. 
The  divisions  and  internal  strife  of  Christendom 
are  indeed  a  shame  and  a  reproach,  but  the  di- 
visions of  the  Mussulman  world  are  more  nu- 
merous and  run  deeper.  They  furnish  a  sure 
prophecy  of  impending  disintegration.  Pan- 
Islam  is  an  effective  term  to  conjure  with.  It 
raises  a  wide-spread  scare  in  the  political  world. 
But  Pan-Islam  is  a  rope  of  sand.  Orientals  know 
well  how  to  say  one  thing  and  think  its  opposite. 
There  are  vastly  more  Mussulmans  to-day  who 
do  not  recognize  Mehmet  V  as  Calif  than  there 
are  who  do.     Even   among   the  Young  Turks 


A  Search-Light  125 

there  are  many  to  whom  Islam  is  but  a  cloak 
worn  in  public.  Many  of  them  are  Free  Masons. 
Large  portions  of  Arabia  have  always  defied  the 
authority  of  the  Ottoman  sovereign.  What  do 
Chinese  Mohammedans  know  or  care  for  him  ? 
He  vaunts  his  rule  over  the  millions  of  Indian 
Moslems.  It  is  an  idle  claim.  The  Moham- 
medans of  the  Dutch  East  Indies  have  as  little 
concern  with  the  Sultan  as  they  have  with  the 
Czar  of  Russia. 

Apparently  the  incongruity  of  Mohammed's 
later  life  with  his  own  earlier  and  better  teaching 
is  not  the  disintegrating  force  in  the  Mussulman 
world.  But  a  more  intimate  acquaintance  with 
Mussulmans  leads  one  to  a  different  conclusion. 
Read  from  the  standpoint  of  such  an  acquaint- 
ance, Professor  Macdonald's  book,  referred  to  in 
Chapter  VII,  shows  a  revolt  of  the  best  minds 
among  the  devotees  of  Islam  against  the  example 
of  their  leader. 

The  learned  and  noble  Arabs  spoken  of  in 
Chapter  II  were  the  real  Protestants  of  their 
time.     Such  Protestants  Islam  has  never  lacked. 

Man  was  created  in  the  moral  likeness  of  God, 
and  as  knowledge  increases  his  soul  revolts  from 
sense  dominion.  He  recoils  from  a  travesty  of 
sanctity.  He  demands  an  atmosphere  in  which 
aspiration  is  possible. 

We  are  left  in  no  doubt  how  God  regards  the 
sins  of  His  holiest  servants  and  of  the  greatest 


126        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

prophets.  Set  over  against  the  grossly  immoral 
doctrine  of  the"  sinlessness  of  prophets,"  invented 
to  veil  and  excuse  the  personal  conduct  of  Moham- 
med, see  the  many  explicit  statements  of  sacred 
Scripture.  Read  Deuteronomy  xxxii.  48-52. 
Read  the  record  of  Nathan's  rebuke  to  David. 
"  To  whom  much  is  given  of  him  shall  much  be 
required  "  (Luke  xii.  48).  These  are  our  Lord's 
own  words  and  they  state  the  great  law  of  the 
moral  world,  that  the  greater  one's  knowledge  of 
spiritual  truth  and  the  larger  his  opportunities, 
the  more  responsible  he  is  to  live  worthy  of  his 
knowledge. 

We  close  the  discussion  which  has  occupied 
three  chapters  by  affirming  our  conviction  that 
the  knowledge  of  what  we  have  briefly  delineated 
is  a  part  of  the  necessary  preparation  of  any  man 
who  would  work  effectively  for  the  moral  and 
spiritual  uplift  of  men  or  of  children  who  were 
born  under  the  moral  blight  of  the  later  ethical 
teaching  and  example  of  the  prophet  of  Arabia. 

In  the  face  of  the  light  now  breaking  in  upon 
Oriental  races,  in  the  increasing  knowledge, 
shared  by  all  civilized  men,  concerning  the 
person  of  Christ  and  the  power  of  His  personal 
influence  in  human  life  the  world  over,  it  is  cer- 
tain that  in  years  not  remote  the  character  of 
Christ  will  win  Mussulmans  to  more  than  rever- 
ence towards  Him  as  a  prophet.  They  will  not 
always  recognize  Him  simply  as  a  man  who  has 


A  Search-Light  127 

taught  them  about  God  and  the  life  to  come. 
They  will  certainly  at  length  come  to  faith  and 
trust  in  Him  and  in  Him  alone,  as  the  one  model 
of  a  perfect  human  life,  as  the  one  Restorer  of 
man  to  the  favour  of  God. 

What  has  been  written  should  result  in  no  re- 
vulsion from  those  brothers  of  ours,  the  devotees 
of  Islam,  of  whatever  race,  and  on  however  low  a 
plane  of  life  and  conduct  they  are  found.  It 
should  the  rather  deepen  our  yearning  to  help 
them  share  that  purer  life  which  Jesus  came  into 
the  world  to  impart :  "  That  they  might  have 
life,  and  that  they  might  have  it  more  abun- 
dantly." 


PART  III 
Fishers  of  Men 


THE  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONARY  AND 
ORIENTAL  CUSTOMS 

THE  missionary  is  a  herald.  He  is 
equally  a  servant  of  men.  He  is  likely 
to  remember  the  first  and  forget  the 
second.  Yet  his  Master  came  not  to  be  served 
but  to  serve.  A  man  goes  among  Orientals  with 
a  deep  and  unshaken  conviction  of  the  superiority 
of  the  institutions  and  customs  of  his  own  peo- 
ple. Ten  chances  to  one,  he  assumes,  perhaps 
unconsciously,  an  air  of  personal  superiority  to 
those  whom  he  sincerely  desires  to  benefit. 

He  discovers  later  that  the  Oriental,  under  the 
well-assumed  air  of  deference,  is  quite  certain, 
too  certain  to  allow  him  to  boast  about  it,  that  he 
is  himself  of  a  superior  race,  with  a  more  vener- 
able history  and  higher  rank  than  the  upstart 
people  of  the  West. 

One  of  the  first  things  the  missionary  has  to 
do  is  to  rid  himself  altogether  of  every  sense  of 
superiority,  to  drop  it  overboard  on  the  voyage 
out.  Especially  should  he  avoid  ever  claiming 
superior  attainment  in  holiness.  Many  Oriental 
barefoot  "  saints  "  will  claim  more  than  he  does, 
and  the  people  will  believe  them  rather  than  him. 
I31 


132         Christian  and  Mohammedan 

If  the  missionary  carries  with  him  profound 
humility  he  goes  with  an  excellent  asset  for  the 
success  of  his  mission.  Let  him  be  a  learner  as 
he  begins  to  discharge  the  duties  of  a  teacher. 
He  has  much  to  learn  on  the  field,  better  than  all 
he  could  learn  before  he  set  out.  A  careful, 
prolonged  and  sympathetic  study  of  the  religion 
of  the  people  and  that  at  first  range  is  manifestly 
of  the  first  importance.  But  there  are  many 
characteristically  Oriental  customs  that  are  worthy 
of  respect.  Among  these  are  the  scrupulous 
courtesy,  the  ever  ready  hospitality,  the  avoid- 
ance of  haste,  the  recoil  from  all  nervous  rush, 
the  carefulness  never  to  enter  a  room  except  with 
clean  feet.  In  these  and  many  other  things  the 
Oriental,  the  Mussulman  especially,  sets  a  worthy 
example.  A  venerable  Arab  sheikh  for  many 
years  lived  near  me  whom  I  never  saw  walk 
more  rapidly  than  half  a  mile  an  hour.  No 
doubt  he  thought  my  gait  vulgar.  I  never 
thought  it  well  to  imitate  him,  but  you  could  not 
deny  the  royal,  if  somewhat  ponderous  dignity 
of  his  movement. 

"  Will  your  honour  condescend  to  grace  your 
servant's  hut  at  the  dinner  hour  to-morrow  ?  " 
"  Please  God  I  will  intrude  upon  the  abode  of 
prosperity  on  the  occasion  to  which  your  honour 
has  graciously  invited  your  servant." 

Does  this  seem  stilted  ?  It  is  smooth  as  oil,  as 
natural  as  breath  to  a  Mussulman.     Show  him, 


The  Missionary  and  Oriental  Customs  133 

without  any  assumptions,  that  you  are  familiar 
with  his  language,  with  his  nation's  history  and 
traditions,  that  you  respect  his  religion,  that  you 
hold  him  as  a  brother,  that  you  wish  to  serve 
him,  not  at  all  to  play  the  superior  over  him, 
in  any  way,  always  holding  yourself  a  little  be- 
low, never  above  him,  and  you  will  have  gained 
his  esteem  and  are  on  the  way  of  gaining  his  af- 
fection. 

You  must  know  a  Mussulman  exceedingly 
well  to  be  able,  without  offense,  to  ask  after  his 
wife's  health,  even  when  you  know  her  to  be  ill. 
And  when  you  do  know  him  well,  you  will  not 
ask  the  question  directly  as  we  should,  but  in- 
directly. A  Turk  whom  I  knew  well,  who  had 
no  children,  always  referred  to  his  wife  modestly 
as  "  the  children."  If  you  know  of  illness  in 
your  Mussulman  neighbour's  harem,  you  will 
never  say,  "  How  is  your  wife  to-day  ?  "  but  "  I 
trust  you  can  give  a  better  report  of  household 
health  to-day,"  or  something  similar. 

We  give  great  importance  to  a  modest  atti- 
tude, to  the  avoidance  of  any  air  of  superiority, 
to  courtesy,  even  a  reciprocation  of  Oriental 
courtesy,  to  a  sympathetic,  a  fraternal  manner. 

This  is  all  the  more  important  because  Ori- 
entals, unhappily,  have  learned  to  brook  what  to 
them  is  discourtesy  in  their  intercourse  with  Oc- 
cidentals. 

Still  more  important  is  it  because  courtesy  and 


134        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

considerateness  as  well  as  sincerity  and  truth  are 
required  by  our  religion.  This  has  characterized 
the  ripest  Christians  in  all  ages.  The  Apostle 
Paul  was  the  model  of  a  perfect  gentleman. 
Jesus  Himself,  while  the  embodiment  of  truth 
and  the  source  of  spiritual  life,  perfectly  il- 
lustrated as  well  as  taught  humility,  the  love 
of  service,  the  greatest  considerateness  for 
others. 

Rev.  Ahmed  Shah,  of  Hannipur,  India,  gives 
the  following  incidents,  which  illustrate  and 
emphasize  what  we  have  here  said  of  the  su- 
preme importance  of  a  missionary's  approaching 
Mohammedans  fraternally,  sympathetically,  as 
Christ  Himself  certainly  would  do. 

"  One  day  as  I  was  walking  with  a  Mussulman 
friend,  we  passed  two  churches,  and  in  answer  to 
his  inquiry,  I  said  one  was  for  Europeans  and  the 
other  for  natives.  '  There  must  be  two  Gods,  one 
European  and  one  Indian,'  he  replied.  He  was 
hardly  satisfied  with  my  explanation  that  the 
language  used  in  one  was  English  and  in  the 
other  Indian. 

"  Once  an  educated  Mussulman  was  won  over 
to  Christ  and  used  to  attend  an  English  church, 
but  he  was  told  by  the  chaplain  that  although  he 
did  not  himself  object  to  his  attending  his  church, 
yet  as  friendly  advice  he  would  tell  him  that  it 
would  be  much  better  if  he  attended  the  church 
meant  for  natives.     The  man  was  shocked  and 


The  Missionary  and  Oriental  Customs  135 

demanded  the  reason.  The  chaplain  had  to  tell 
him  that  his  English  audience  would  not  like  any 
native  to  come  and  sit  side  by  side  in  the  same 
church.  Hearing  this  he  replied, '  I  think  your 
English  audience  can  sacrifice  everything,  even 
their  God  and  their  Saviour  Christ,  but  they  will 
never  sacrifice  their  national  pride  even  for 
Christ's  sake.'  This  he  said  and  left  the  church. 
Since  then  he  has  proved  a  great  opponent  of 
the  Christian  religion.  If  any  Mussulman  is  near 
to  Christ  he  has  made  it  his  mission  to  stop  him, 
and  relates  his  own  experience. 

"  I  heard  the  following  when  in  the  city  of 
Aligarh,  on  the  invitation  of  the  trustees  of  the 
college,  on  the  occasion  of  the  visit  of  the  Ameer 
of  Afghanistan.  Some  six  months  previous, 
in  that  city,  where  missionaries  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  reside,  one  Sunday  the 
European  missionary  was  absent  from  town, 
and  an  Indian  priest  was  officiating  in  his  place. 
He  sent  the  usual  notices  of  the  Sunday  services 
to  the  English  residents.  But  the  English  resi- 
dents would  not  have  an  Indian  lead  them  in  the 
services.  They  circulated  their  own  notices  and 
one  of  themselves,  a  layman,  officiated.  This 
Indian  priest  was  an  educated  man,  a  graduate 
of  one  of  the  Indian  universities,  took  a  three 
years'  course  in  a  theological  institution,  was 
duly  ordained  as  deacon  and  priest  by  one  of 
the  Anglican  bishops.     At  first  I  did  not  be- 


136        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

lieve  the  story,  but  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  on 
inquiry  I  found  every  part  of  it  was  true. 

"  The  teaching  of  the  Koran  unites  all  nations 
and  individuals  in  a  common  brotherhood  and 
washes  out  all  racial  distinctions." 

Rev.  Dr.  Robert  Chambers  of  Bardezag  near 
Constantinople  says,  "  From  what  I  observe  and 
hear  I  believe  that  the  Turks  are  observing 
Christianity  with  something  more  than  mere 
curiosity.  It  seems  to  me  that  many  are  begin- 
ning to  grope  in  that  direction  in  the  hope  that 
Christianity  may  afford  some  help  in  the  build- 
ing up  of  the  new  Turkey,  help  which  they 
are  beginning  to  feel  is  not  found  in  Moham- 
medanism. 

"  I  am  not  sure  that  we  are  as  well  prepared 
as  we  ought  to  be  for  this  new  work,  though  the 
missionary  body  is  certainly  much  better  fitted 
for  it  than  it  has  been  in  the  past.  I  think  we 
ought  to  approach  the  Mohammedan  in  no 
narrow  spirit.  I  think  we  should  start  out  with 
the  conviction  that  it  is  not  necessary  for  a 
Mussulman  to  take  the  Protestant  or  even  the 
Christian  name  in  order  that  he  may  become  a 
useful  force  for  God  and  righteousness  in  this 
land.  I  should  like  to  see  much  effort  expended 
in  getting  into  sympathetic  spiritual  relations 
with  the  Turks.  I  should  like  the  Turks  to  feel 
that  our  effort  is  to  help  them  and  to  contribute 
to  their  religious  life  something  which  they  need 


The  Late  Sir  Sayyad  Ahmad  Khan,  founder  of  the  Mohammedan  College 

at  Aligarh 


The  Missionary  and  Oriental  Customs   137 

and  which  Christianity  can  give  them,  without 
enforcing  upon  them  the  dogmas  and  definitions 
of  our  theologians." 

True,  we  are  as  yet  in  the  vestibule  of  that 
holy  place,  that  holy  of  holies  of  Christian  ex- 
perience, into  which  every  missionary  must 
enter,  and  in  which  he  must  live,  if  he  would 
win  souls  to  faith  in  Jesus.  To  win  them  heart 
and  mind,  that  is  the  problem. 

In  Chapter  XII  we  try  to  present  that  which 
is  divinely  effective  in  missionary  endeavour. 
You  can  never  drive  men  to  Christ.  You  can- 
not argue  them  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
You  can  love  them  into  the  path  of  faith.  Hold 
up  Jesus  the  Christ  in  your  own  lives,  and  so 
win  them  into  the  heavenly  way. 


XI 


CONTROVERSIAL  METHODS,  EXPERT 
TESTIMONY 


T 


">HE  late  Rev.  R.  H.  Weakley  of  Alex- 
andria, two  months  before  his  lamented 
death,  writes : 

"  The  unobtrusive  effort  to  induce  Moham- 
medans to  read  the  Scriptures,  in  the  first  in- 
stance by  exciting  curiosity  to  see  what  the 
Book  contains  by  offering  a  single  Gospel  to 
every  Mohammedan  in  the  bazaars  of  Alex- 
andria, has  resulted  in  large  sales  of  Arabic 
Scriptures.  This  is  real  missionary  work,  for  I 
know  the  books  are  read  even  if  I  do  not  per- 
sonally know  the  readers.  I  have  become  con- 
vinced that  controversial  methods,  in  seeking  to 
win  Mohammedans  by  exposing  the  falsity  of 
their  religion,  are  not  those  which  I  should  now 
advocate  or  use. 

"  That  they  can  be  won  by  the  waiving  of  all 
dispute,  and  by  answering  objections  with  a 
1  Take  and  read  for  yourself,'  or  '  Let  us  read  to 
you  '  I  know  well.  The  reader  or  hearer  judges 
himself  unconsciously,  the  appeal  being  not  to 
the  Mohammedan  but  to  the  man.  The  man  in 
138 


Controversial  Methods  139 

the  Book  speaks  to  the  heart  of  the  man  who 
reads  or  hears  it. 

"  To  answer  a  sincere  question  is  not  con- 
troversy. It  should  be  sympathetically  given, 
and  may  solve  a  difficulty  for  the  ignorant 
inquirer.  But  I  would  accept  no  challenge;  it 
is  seldom  other  than  a  defiance,  in  temper  as  well 
as  in  fact.  To  put  it  aside  gently,  and  then  to 
appeal  to  the  conscience  of  the  man  in  the  pres- 
ence of  God  is  an  excellent  way.  I  have  known 
this  done  with  astonishing  effect,  the  arrogant 
champion  becoming,  before  the  end  of  the  inter- 
view, a  deeply  interested  listener. 

"  Attack  has  its  use  in  disturbing  unthought- 
ful  confidence  in  an  impregnable  Islam,  such  as 
is  prevalent  amongst  its  votaries.  Missionary 
brethren  may  deem  it  a  necessary  preliminary  to 
the  teaching  of  the  truth.  I  thought  so  at  one 
time,  but  now  prefer  to  ignore  Islam  and  address 
the  man." 

We  are  permitted  to  give  the  following  de- 
tailed discussion  of  this  important  subject  in  a 
letter  of  Rev.  Dr.  Wilson,  of  Tabreez,  to  the 
secretary  of  the  Society  under  which  he  works. 

"  I  think  that  comparatively  little  time  or 
energy  is  (or  should  be)  spent  by  missionaries  in 
the  discussion  with  Mohammedans  of  those 
things  which  we  have  in  common.  The  point 
of  agreement  in  doctrine,  such  as  the  unity  of 
God,  creation    and  providence,  angels  and  the 


140        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

judgment,  receive  only  incidental  reference. 
But  sometimes  it  is  different,  as  when  the  leading 
Mujtihid  of  Tabreez  on  the  occasion  of  a  visit  pro- 
posed, and  engaged  us  in  discussion  of  the  question 
of  proof  of  the  existence  of  God.  There  is  a  class 
of  subjects  such  as  faith,  repentance,  prayer, 
atonement  and  others  in  relation  to  salvation,  in 
which  the  terms  are  the  same  but  the  practical 
significance  is  widely  different.  These  should  be 
emphasized  and  the  meaning  brought  out  and  in- 
culcated. 

"  It  seems  to  me  an  effective  way  to  begin  by 
introducing  some  point  which  we  have  in  com- 
mon, as  the  supernatural  birth  of  Christ,  or  by  af- 
firming some  doctrine,  as  the  unity  of  the  God- 
head or  the  sinfulness  of  drunkenness,  about 
which  the  Mussulman  doubts  the  correctness  of 
our  teaching.  The  correction  of  a  misconception 
of  a  Christian  doctrine  is  always  a  good  prelimi- 
nary step.  A  good  survey  of  the  moral  code  is 
helpful  and  by  turning  the  attention  to  Christ's 
teachings  about  sin  in  the  heart,  we  immediately 
pass  from  one  of  the  similarities  to  one  of  the 
important  differences  between  the  two  systems. 

"  In  general  I  prefer  to  have  the  discussion,  or 
give  the  instruction,  on  Christian  grounds,  for 
the  defense  of  the  integrity  of  the  Scriptures,  the 
reality  of  the  death  and  the  crucifixion  of  Christ 
and  of  His  resurrection,  His  divine  nature  and 
unique  mediatorship  gives  us  the  opportunity  to 


Controversial  Methods  141 

state  the  Christian  beliefs  and  their  proofs  and  the 
absolute  and  exclusive  claims  of  our  Saviour,  ig- 
noring those  of  Mohammed.  In  like  manner  it 
is  better  to  show  that  the  promise  of  the  coming 
of  the  Paraclete  refers  definitely  and  certainly  to 
the  Holy  Spirit,  that  the  prophet  like  unto  Moses 
is  the  Lord  Jesus,  giving  positive  proof  from  the 
Scripture  and  showing  that  no  promise  of  a 
prophet  to  come  after  Christ  is  to  be  found  in  the 
Bible.  The  statement  of  the  positive  side  with 
emphasis  carries  with  it  a  clear  denial  of  the  dis- 
tinctive claims  of  Islam. 

"  It  will  be  found  that  the  intelligent  Mussulman 
is  interested  to  hear  positive  statements  from  the 
Christian  standpoint.  Such  I  found  when  on  a 
tour  to  Maku  I  visited  the  famous  Tamar  Pasha, 
the  chief  of  that  region.  He  and  his  company 
catechized  me  for  an  hour  on  the  distinctive  doc- 
trines such  as  the  Trinity,  the  divinity  of  Christ, 
etc.,  and  were  much  interested.  On  the  other 
hand  when  a  missionary  issued  a  series  of  tracts 
stating  truths  accepted  by  Moslems  such  as  '  God 
is  great,'  '  Truth  is  triumphant/  '  Praise  God,' 
*  Satan  is  a  liar,'  etc.,  the  Moslems  were  greatly 
perplexed  and  said,  •  Don't  we  know  all  this  ? 
What  does  the  man  mean  to  intimate?'  The 
missionary  intended  to  gain  a  hearing  by  these 
statements  of  truths  common  to  Christian  and 
Mohammedan,  but  the  latter  evidently  thought 
that    it  was  a  useless  waste  of  energy  without 


142        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

waiting  for  the  rest  of  the  series  in  which  dis- 
tinctive doctrines  would  be  stated.  One  of  the 
criticisms  sometimes  made  upon  native  Christian 
evangelists  by  their  brethren  is  that  they  go 
about  uttering  platitudes  on  morals  and  conduct, 
the  law  and  the  prophets,  avoiding  offense  and 
not  effectually  witnessing  for  the  truth.  Seeking 
to  find  similarities  of  belief  reminds  me  of  the 
words  of  an  old  Jewish  Rabbi  of  Urumia  to  Mrs. 
Wilson, '  There  is  not  much  difference  between 
us.  We  both  believe  in  a  Messiah,  only  we  be- 
lieve in  one  to  come  and  you  believe  He  has  al- 
ready come.' 

"  The  example  of  Mohammed  might  be  referred 
to  as  throwing  light  on  this  subject.  He  cer- 
tainly in  talking  to  the  Jews  tried  to  gain  them 
to  his  side  by  emphasizing  the  resemblances  of 
his  doctrines  to  theirs,  claiming  that  he  was  pro- 
mulgating the  religion  of  Abraham,  that  his  was 
the  religion  of  all  the  prophets,  the  old  doctrine. 
But  there  is  a  great  difference  in  the  fact  that  we 
invite  the  Mohammedan  to  look  backwards  and 
to  accept  a  revelation  on  which  he  claims  to  have 
an  improvement.  Our  hope  is  in  convincing  the 
Mohammedan  of  the  non-genuineness  of  Mo- 
hammed's revelation  while  Mohammed  could  ad- 
mit that  of  Moses  and  the  Jews. 

"  As  to  our  manner  of  presenting  the  truth,  all 
will  accept  the  common  dictum,  «  Avoid  contro- 
versy,' if  by  this  we  mean  a  contentious  wrangling 


Controversial  Methods  143 

or  dispute,  a  contest  in  which  we  strive  to  beat 
our  opponent  in  debate.  And  if  this  is  done,  the 
result  will  generally  be  that  the  Persian  will  take 
refuge  in  an  inflated  and  antiquated  verbosity  or 
a  style  so  surcharged  with  foreign  terms  as  to 
completely  hide  the  subject  and,  if  there  is  a 
group  of  people  about,  impress  them  with  his 
amazing  erudition  and  easy  victory.  But  if  we 
mean  by  '  controversy '  the  discussion  of  a  sub- 
ject by  the  presentation  of  arguments  pro  and 
con,  it  is  simply  unavoidable,  and  if  the  discus- 
sion is  carried  on  in  a  proper  spirit,  it  is  neither 
necessary  nor  desirable  to  avoid  it.  Indeed  the 
Mohammedan,  if  he  is  an  honest  inquirer,  will 
often  present  his  difficulties  in  the  form  of  objec- 
tions and  maintain  his  points  in  order  to  draw  out 
the  light  on  the  subject.  And  this  has  its  advan- 
tage in  that  the  minds  of  some  missionaries  are  so 
constituted  that  their  best  thoughts  and  strongest 
presentation  of  standard  arguments  are  brought 
out  under  the  spur  of  earnest  discussion. 

"  Even  somewhat  spirited  controversy  is  prefer- 
able to  listless  indifference  or  hypocritical  assent. 
We  must  by  all  means  encourage  the  one  with 
whom  we  are  conversing  to  present  his  thoughts 
and  objections  and  exhibit  the  attitude  of  his 
mind.  This  is  absolutely  necessary  because  there 
are  many  sects  in  Islam  and  unless  we  know  the 
sect  of  our  hearer  we  may  miss  our  aim.  There 
is  a  village  near  Tabreez,  named  Ilkachi,  inhabited 


144        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

by  Ali-Allahis  who  conceal  their  tenets.  Once 
when  a  missionary  was  mounting  his  horse  to  go 
to  them,  an  evangelist  remarked, '  You  will  bring 
back  a  whole  bag  of  ballis.'  (In  Turkish  balli 
means  yes.)  Better  than  this  lifeless  assent  is  a 
manifestation  of  indignation  such  as  was  shown 
by  the  man  who  stopped  his  ears  and  exclaimed 
'  Blasphemy/  because  I  read  from  the  Injil  that 
the  son  in  the  far  country  wished  to  eat  the  food 
of  swine. 

"  In  fact  many  of  the  great  missionaries  to  Mo- 
hammedans have  been  aggressive  and  have  not 
feared  proper  controversy.  Henry  Martyn's 
discussions  with  the  mollahs  at  Shiraz  are  note- 
worthy. Pfander  and  Al  Kindi  are  strong  in 
positive  statements  of  the  defects  in  Islam  and  its 
founder  and  the  inferiority  of  it  to  Christianity. 
In  the  •  Sweet  First  Fruits '  the  truth  is  presented 
in  strong  discussions  with  forceful  yet  polite 
arguments,  even  though  some  oppose  and  are 
incited  to  persecution.  Rouse's  Tracts  (for  India) 
deal  with  plain  facts  not  failing  to  point  out  and 
emphasize  the  inferiority  of  Mohammed  to  Christ. 
(See  Missionary  Review,  May,  1901,  page  338.) 
A  strong  attitude,  also,  is  maintained  by  J.  Monro, 
C.  B.,  in  the  written  controversy  held  by  him 
with  the  mollahs  in  India  regarding  the  sinlessness 
of  Mohammed.  (See  Church  Missionary  Intel- 
ligencer, October,  1897.)  The  public  debates  in 
Cairo  carried  on  by  an  able  convert  from  Islam 


Controversial  Methods  145 

necessarily  developed  some  heat,  but  were  none 
the  less  profitable.  It  is  too  much  the  habit  to 
suppose  that  the  missionary  will  be  worsted  in 
discussion  and  the  natives  confirmed  in  their 
errors.  But  the  validity  and  force  of  the  proofs 
presented  often  make  a  strong  impression.  This 
is  seen  in  the  case  of  the  Bahais,  with  whom  the 
missionaries  have  been  in  the  habit  of  discussing 
with  freedom  and  unrestrained  criticism  the 
history  and  the  claims  of  the  Bab  and  Baha. 
This  has  been  the  more  free  because  of  a  certain 
arrogance  of  this  sect  in  the  statement  of  their 
own  claims.  The  result  has  been  that  the  Bahais 
have  in  some  places  felt  themselves  unable  to 
maintain  themselves  in  argument  and  their 
leaders  have  ordered  them  to  avoid  such  conver- 
sations. 

"  Among  the  dissimilarities  between  the  reli- 
gions one  which  it  is  difficult  to  present  is  the  con- 
trast in  the  characters  of  their  founders.  It  is  gen- 
erally not  expedient  to  point  out  flaws  in  the  char- 
acter of  Mohammed.  Itcan  only  beprofitably  done 
when  the  Mohammedan  is  specially  intelligent  and 
well  read.  Our  population  is  utterly  uninformed 
and  incapable  of  appreciating  facts  from  history. 
Generally  the  people  are  ignorant  even  of  such 
familiar  incidents  as  that  of  Zeinab's  divorce  and 
marriage  to  Mohammed,  and  of  the  scandals 
about  his  wives.  They  have  never  heard  of  the 
massacres  of  the  Jews.     Even  if  they  know  them 


146        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

they  have  covered  them  with  the  mantle  of  the 
tradition,  '  That  the  prophet  could  not  sin,' 
1  That  he  was  above  law,'  '  That  whatever  he 
did  was  without  guilt.'  While  mentioning  the 
specific  faults  of  their  prophet  is  liable  to  anger 
them  and  close  their  ears  to  further  instruction, 
contrasting  the  characters  of  Christ  and  Moham- 
med in  general  is  effective.  The  intelligent 
Mohammedan  will  fill  up  the  darker  features  of 
his  life  as  effectually  as  if  they  are  mentioned. 
Some  effective  contrasts  are  the  Prince  of  Peace 
with  the  man  of  war,  the  spotless  chastity  of  the 
white  Christ  with  the  harem  at  Medina,  Christ's 
fulfilling  His  own  law  and  even  surpassing  it, 
with  Mohammed's  transgression  of  the  plain  pre- 
cepts of  his  own  law.  Such  facts  are  good,  strong 
meat  for  the  new  convert,  who  generally  has 
strong  feelings  against  Islam  and  is  assisted  to  a 
positive  rejection  of  the  system  by  a  full  knowl- 
edge of  the  defects  of  its  founder. 

"  One  method  I  have  is  to  use  some  Old  Testa- 
ment characters,  as  for  example  David  and  the 
incidents  of  his  life,  as  pegs  on  which  to  hang 
truths  and  applications  which  apply  to  Moham- 
med. For  example  the  fact  that  David  was 
prohibited  from  building  the  temple,  a  house  of 
stones,  because  he  was  a  man  of  blood  and  war 
shows  how  impossible  it  is  for  him  to  be  con- 
sidered the  mediator  and  Saviour,  the  builder  of 
God's  spiritual  temple.     The  inference  is  evident 


Controversial  Methods  147 

to  them  that  their  prophet  or  warring  Imams 
could  by  no  means  be  so  regarded. 

"  These  are  some  thoughts  on  the  wide  subject 
as  to  how  '  the  individual  missionary  is  to  deal 
with  the  individual  faith  of  the  man  he  is  working 
for  '  and  as  to  whether  •  dissimilarities  be  empha- 
sized '   or  not. 

"  I  called  in  one  of  our  converts  from  Islam  and 
asked  him  how  he  was  accustomed  to  approach 
one  of  his  own  religion  ?  He  replied,  '  I  ap- 
proach them  on  their  own  ground.  I  take  up 
some  point  connected  with  their  own  belief,  lead- 
ing them  to  admit  what  they  know  is  in  their 
own  Koran  and  traditions  and  from  that  founda- 
tion showing  them  the  superiority  of  Chris- 
tianity.' "— S.  G.  W. 

The  following  is  from  the  lamented  Rev.  D.  M. 
Thornton  of  the  C.  M.  S.,  Cairo,  given  at  the  con- 
ference in  that  city  in  April,  1906: 

"  I.  Never  begin  or  provoke  a  controversy 
with  Mohammedans. 

"  2.  Conduct  a  controversy  only  occasionally, 
and  only  if  physically,  mentally  and  spiritually 
qualified. 

"  3.  Never  refuse  to  remove  misunderstand- 
ings of  Christianity  even  if  it  leads  to  controversy. 

"  4.  Always  lift  controversy  on  to  a  higher 
plane  and  utilize  it  for  pressing  home  the  Gospel. 

"  5.  Never  accept  a  controversy  with  ignorant 
and  gross  minds." — D.  M.  T. 


148        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

"  I  think  it  is  a  wise  rule  to  avoid  controversy, 
when  possible,  on  general  principles,  and  to  teach 
the  great  Christian  truths.  On  the  other  hand, 
it  is  a  mistake  to  compromise  by  preaching  ethics 
when  we  should  preach  Christ,  and  by  hiding  or 
hoisting  Christian  doctrine  to  win  the  approval  of 
the  Mussulman.  In  my  opinion  a  certain  amount 
of  controversy  is  inevitable.  This  is  proved  by 
the  whole  history  of  missions  to  Mohammedans. 
Paul's  example  shows  the  right  method  of  con- 
troversy. It  is  a  sharp  tool  and  should  be  used 
only  by  skillful  hands.  I  should  advise  all 
younger  missionaries  to  avoid  controversy  lest 
they  be  worsted  in  the  fight,  but  Mohammedan 
objections  must  be  answered." — S.  M.  Z. 

"  As  a  rule  I  do  not  invite  controversy,  but 
never  shrink  from  it  when  challenged.  Some- 
times, however,  I  have  invited  controversy,  but 
both  sides  usually  went  away  fully  satisfied  that 
they  had  gained  the  victory,  and  uttered  unan- 
swerable truths." — J.  C.  Y. 

"  Circumstances  must  decide.  I  have  travelled 
a  great  deal  with  Mohammedans,  and  frequently 
controversial  topics  were  introduced,  sometimes 
by  my  companions  and  sometimes  by  myself. 
The  conversations  have  always  been  of  the  most 
friendly  sort  and  could  do  no  harm  and  I  trust 
have  done  good." — J.  P.  McN. 

"  We  accept  controversial  methods  only  when 
challenged,  and  prefer  not  to  do  so  even  then  if 


Controversial  Methods  149 

possible,  believing  that  simple  testimony  and  the 
authoritative  statements  of  God's  word  are  more 
likely  to  produce  effect  than  argument.  But  in- 
deed in  the  patients  that  we  have  here  in  the 
hospital,  with  whom  we  talk,  we  seldom  find  a 
desire  for  controversy,  only  respectful  and  often 
eager  listening,  sometimes  a  request  to  be  told 
more,  and  almost  always  a  readiness  to  take  a 
copy  of  the  New  Testament  with  them." — 
W.  S.  D. 

"  It  depends  upon  the  circumstances.  Very 
often  in  the  bazaar-preaching  they  come  and  put 
a  question,  then  the  time  is  fixed  for  meeting  to- 
gether. Sometimes  we  invite  them  in  our  preach- 
ing halls,  or  occasional  lectures  are  given  in  which 
controversy  takes  place.  They  themselves  sel- 
dom challenge  for  oral  controversy.  They  al- 
ways wish  it  to  be  in  writing.  In  my  opinion 
our  best  plan  ought  to  be  to  teach  the  Koran 
and  the  Bible  side  by  side,  and  then  show  the 
superiority  of  the  one  to  the  other.  This  is  the 
more  simple  and  less  risky  method.  I  generally 
do  this  with  my  Mussulman  friends.  I  would 
never  advocate  a  direct  attack,  as  it  has  proved 
risky.  Friendly  talks  do  more  good  and  never 
do  harm.  They  do  not  wish  to  see  our  witty 
arguments.  They  wish  to  see  Christ ;  not  in  the 
Gospel  but  in   us  and  in  our  daily  life." — A.  S. 

"  If  by  controversy  is  meant  set  disputations  I 
never  invite  it,  and  rarely  accept  it.     If  discus- 


150        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

sion  is  meant  as  between  individuals  or  in  a  small 
circle,  I  welcome  it.  In  bazaar-preaching  we  can- 
not avoid  disputants  cutting  in.  One  endeavours 
to  elicit  definite  questions  and  then  to  answer 
them  positively,  rather  than  polemically.  For 
controversy  on  dogma  or  morals  I  prefer  to  re- 
fer to  a  book  or  pamphlet,  to  be  discussed 
quietly  afterwards.  One  of  the  best  methods  I 
have  met, — if  controversy  must  be, — was  shown 
me  by  an  Indian  convert.  A  series  of  topics : 
God  and  His  Attributes ;  Sin  ;  Salvation,  etc., 
were  fixed  for  certain  days.  The  disputant  on 
each  side  was  allowed  half  an  hour  to  quote, 
translate  and  comment  upon  texts  from  his 
Scriptures,  the  teaching  on  the  point  laid  down ; 
and  the  meeting  opened  and  closed  with  a  prayer 
for  guidance,  first  by  one  and  then  by  the  other. 
It  was  found  that  the  Mohammedan  did  not  gen- 
erally fill  his  time."— H.  U.  W. 

"  As  a  rule  I  do  not  challenge  controversy, 
because  a  positive  statement  of  the  Christian  truth 
produces,  according  to  my  experience,  a  much 
deeper  impression  upon  Mohammedan  minds 
than  any  dispute,  which,  in  most  cases,  engenders 
only  fanaticism,  and  fanaticism  always  obstructs 
the  mind  against  the  fair  weighing  of  facts.  Of 
course  in  our  work  among  Mohammedans  it  is 
impossible  to  always  refrain  from  using  contro- 
versial methods  ;  they  are  often  forced  on  us,  but 
even  there  we  should  be  very  careful  not  to  vex 


Controversial  Methods  151 

the  feelings  of  the  Mohammedans  unnecessarily, 
or  to  vilify  where  we  should  demonstrate  in 
power  and  truth.  Just  because  Mohammedans 
are  so  apt  to  vilify  Christians  and  their  faith,  the 
Christian  worker  should  display  the  meek  and 
gentle  spirit  of  Jesus." — W.  B. 

"  Never  invite  controversy  ;  never  really  engage 
in  it.  Go  on  the  tacit  assumption  that  the  two 
parties  are  friends  ;  respect  each  other ;  emphasize 
the  points  on  which  they  agree ;  question  each 
other  as  to  opinions,  practices,  etc. ;  recognize  the 
right  of  each  to  his  own  views,  and  the  responsi- 
bility of  each  before  his  Creator  and  righteous 
Judge  ;  trust  to  the  power  of  truth,  and  separate 
friends,  to  meet  again  and  resume  friendly  rela- 
tions later."— G.  E.  W. 

In  addition  to  the  opinions  expressed  by  those 
whose  words  have  been  quoted,  more  than  twenty 
other  correspondents  have  given  their  opinion 
concerning  controversial  methods,  but  very  briefly. 
They  are  nearly  unanimous  in  deprecating  con- 
troversial methods.  At  the  same  time  there  is 
consensus  of  opinion  that  answering  in  an  uncon- 
troversial  spirit  and  manner  questions  that  are 
proposed,  and  objections  raised,  is  our  duty  and 
our  privilege. 

This  consensus  received  further  emphasis  at 
Lucknow  and,  in  view  of  all  that  has  been  pub- 
lished in  recent  years  on  work  for  Moslems,  may 
be  considered  as  universally  accepted. 


152        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

With  very  rare  exceptions,  missionaries  work- 
ing and  growing  old  in  the  work  in  Moham- 
medan countries  look  less  and  less  hopefully 
upon  any  form  of  controversy  and  find  them- 
selves in  accord  with  the  views  given  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Weakley  at  his  life's  close.  Our  problem  is 
not  to  compel,  not  even  to  convince,  but  to  win 
our  Mussulman  brother,  to  love  him,  to  attract 
him  towards  the  Crucified,  that  he  may,  under 
the  constraining  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  find 
peace  and  rest  under  the  shadow  of  His  Cross, 
may,  with  Bunyan's  Christian,  find  his  burden  of 
sin  roll  off  into  His  sepulchre. 


XII 

THE  CHRISTLIKE  LIFE 

A  YOUNG  Japanese,  admitted  to  the 
study  of  Dr.  Parks  of  St.  Bartholomew's 
Church,  New  York  City,  asks  abruptly  : 

"  Sir,  can  you  tell  me  how  to  find  the  beauti- 
ful life?" 

Dr.  Parks  answered, "  Do  you  wish  to  talk 
with  me  about  religion  ?  " 

"  No,  sir ;  I  merely  want  to  find  out  about  the 
beautiful  life." 

"  Have  you  ever  read  the  Bible  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,  I  have  read  some,  but  I  don't  like 
the  Bible." 

"  Have  you  ever  been  to  church  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  have  been  twice  but  I  don't  like  the 
church;  I  am  trying  to  find  the  beautiful  life. 
Many  of  your  people  do  just  as  our  Japanese 
people  do  ;  they  are  bad,  they  cheat  and  tell  lies, 
yet  they  are  all  Christians.  That  is  not  what  I 
want ;  I  do  not  want  your  religion.  But  there  is 
something  I  want.  I  cannot  tell  what  it  is  ;  I 
call  it  the  beautiful  life,  and  they  told  me  perhaps 
you  could  tell  me  about  it." 

"  Where  did  you  hear  about  it  ?  " 

"  I  never  heard  about  it,  but  I  saw  a  man  in  a 
i53 


1^4        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

boarding-house  in  San  Francisco,  soon  after  I 
landed, — a  poor  old  man,  not  an  educated  man 
like  myself,  who  have  studied  in  the  University  of 
Japan,  and  now  am  studying  in  one  of  your 
great  universities  ;  a  poor  man  he  was,  a  carpen- 
ter, but  he  had  what  all  my  life  I  have  wanted.  I 
thought  it  might  be  in  the  world,  but  I  never  saw 
it  in  my  own  country ;  I  call  it  the  beautiful  life. 
How  can  I  find  it  ?  This  old  man  went  about 
helping  everybody ;  he  was  always  happy ;  he 
never  thought  about  himself.  I  knew  him  three 
weeks,  and  watched  him  all  the  time,  and  felt 
that  I  must  have  what  he  had.  I  have  seen 
some  other  people  who  have  had  it.  I  do  not 
know  what  it  is.  It  cannot  be  your  religion 
because  you  do  not  all  have  it." 

Dr.  Parks  read  him  the  thirteenth  chapter  of 
First  Corinthians,  that  beautiful  "  love  chapter," 
that  means  so  much  to  us,  and  asked,  "  Is  that 
it?" 

"  Yes,  perhaps  ;  it  sounds  like  it.  But  how  can 
I  get  it?" 

Then  Dr.  Parks  told  him  very  simply  the 
story  of  the  perfectly  beautiful  life,  and  said: 
"  Now  you  have  just  to  follow  that  life." 

As  his  visitor  left  he  gave  him  a  copy  of  the 
New  Testament. 

"Can  you  not  give  me  a  more  modern  book? 
You  know  the  Japanese  are  very  up  to  date." 

"  No,  it  is  not  in  any  other  book.     This  is  the 


The  Christlike  Life  155 

one  book  you  need.  Study  it  and  pray  that 
light  may  be  given  you  to  live  this  beautiful 
life." 

Two  years  later  the  young  man  again  called 
hurriedly  upon  Dr.  Parks  just  as  he  was  leaving 
for  San  Francisco,  called  to  an  important  posi- 
tion in  his  native  country.  His  message  was 
already  written  on  his  radiant  face. 

"  Sir,  I  have  found  the  beautiful  life ;  I  have 
found  Jesus." 

Then  he  returned  to  tell  his  own  people  of 
that  Life. 

The  one  effective  way  to  win  Mussulman 
peoples  to  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  is  to  live  a  Christ- 
like  life  in  their  sight  and  among  them.  This 
will  be  effective.  The  result  will  not  be  immedi- 
ate. Even  if  all  missionaries  were  saints,  so 
stupendous  a  change  as  the  turning  of  men, 
linked  together  by  religious  and  social  bonds, 
from  an  old  to  a  new  faith,  will  not  take  place  in 
a  day  and  be  permanent.  And  the  Christians  in 
whose  lives  Mohammedans  read  the  Gospel  are 
not  all  saints.  Thank  God  some  things  done 
years  ago  by  men  from  Christian  lands  can  be 
done  no  more.  We  may  go  a  good  step  further. 
Officers  of  Christian  governments  in  Mussulman 
lands  are  commonly  defenders  of  justice  for  all ; 
and,  in  much  greater  number  than  half  a  century 
ago,  are  themselves  patterns  of  clean  living.  In 
all   such    indirect   influences    upon    Mussulman 


156        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

peoples  there  no  doubt  remains  much  to  be 
desired.  These  are  days  of  enormously  increased 
travel,  of  the  telegraph  and  the  daily  paper. 
Men  of  the  East  know  what  is  doing  in  the  West 
the  same  day.  Unhappily  they  are  sure  to  know 
the  worst  things  about  Americans,  our  lynchings, 
our  great  corporation  scandals,  our  Thaw  trials. 
Nevertheless  the  number  of  men  and  women  in 
Mohammedan  lands  who  in  simple,  humble  ways 
are  lifting  up  Jesus  before  the  eyes  of  Moham- 
medans is  increasing  rapidly. 

When  this  form  of  Christian  evidence  is  in- 
creased a  hundredfold  and  the  anti-Christian  in- 
fluences have  diminished  a  hundredfold,  then 
will  be  preached  in  Mussulman  ears  and  illus- 
trated before  Mussulman  eyes  a  sermon  of  tre- 
mendous power.  Moreover  it  will  be  preached 
every  day  and  all  day,  in  market  and  in  street,  in 
shop  and  in  field,  at  home  and  abroad ;  and  its 
uplifting  power  will  be  so  effectual  that  we  shall 
not  need  to  scan  the  statistical  reports  to  see 
how  fares  the  work  our  Lord  has  set  His  Church 
to  do. 

Oh,  the  power  of  Christlike  living  !  It  will  yet 
redeem  the  world  of  men  from  the  spell  of  siren 
voices,  from  the  greed  of  gain,  from  the  lust  of 
power,  and  then,  then  Jesus  will  see  of  the  travail 
of  His  soul  and  will  be  satisfied.  Christ,  the  liv- 
ing Christ,  the  lifting  up  of  that  one  perfect  man 
before  sadly  blinded  Mussulman  eyes  till  they 


The  Christlike  Life  157 

cannot  fail  to  see  a  beauty  and  a  glory  of  char- 
acter no  mere  man  ever  possessed,  till  they  ac- 
knowledge Him  "  God  manifest  in  the  flesh." 
This  is  our  message;  this  our  work,  and  it 
cannot  fail. 

Let  not  too  much  intellectual  force  be  spent 
in  tracing  comparative  religion  into  the  realm 
where  Jesus  the  Christ  lives  unique,  where  He 
reigns  supreme,  the  one  divine  and  sinless  Person 
that  has  set  foot  on  this  planet.  Rather  let  the 
sad  moral  and  spiritual  state  of  our  Mussulman 
brothers  and  sisters,  morally  handicapped  by  the 
traditions  and  examples  of  their  own  religion, 
pull  on  our  heart-strings  so  that,  with  love  and 
sympathy  like  that  of  the  Father  and  of  His  Son 
Jesus  Christ,  we  can  do  no  otherwise  than  give 
our  lives  to  help  restore  and  uplift  and  lead  to  the 
Saviour  of  men  those  souls  Christ  died  for  and 
over  whom  we  yearn. 

Does  some  one  ask,  "  Are  we  simply  to  live 
Christlike  lives  before  Mussulman  peoples?  Shall 
we  be  content  with  the  age-long  process  of  edu- 
cating and  elevating  a  nation  through  various 
Christian  institutions  sustained  among  Moham- 
medans ?  Shall  we  be  happy  to  live  and  work 
on  till  life's  end,  and  leave  those  who  come  after 
us  to  gather  converts  from  the  devotees  of  Islam 
into  Christian  churches?  Did  the  martyrs  and 
confessors  of  the  early  centuries  live  and  work 
in  that  way  ?     Has  that  been  the  spirit  and  the 


158        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

method  of  the  leaders  of  the  modern  missionary 
enterprise  during  the  last  hundred  years  ?  " 

Yes,  we  should  have  a  faith  so  vital  and  all-per- 
vasive, a  love  to  Christ  and  to  men  so  deep  and 
warm,  a  courage  to  face  difficulties  and  opposi- 
tion so  unflinching  that  we  can,  if  need  be,  do 
seed-sowing  all  our  lives,  and  leave  the  harvest- 
ing to  others,  can  be  heralds  to  invite  the  guests 
to  the  marriage  feast,  though  we  sit  not  down  at 
the  table.  A  long  list  of  pioneer  missionaries  of 
the  Church  in  modern  times,  Morrison  of  China, 
Cary  and  Duff  of  India,  Mackay  of  Uganda,  Coil- 
lard  of  the^Zambesi,  and  many,  many  more,  men 
of  monumental  faith  and  Christian  service,  have 
been  seed-sowers.  The  fruits  of  their  toil  others 
have  gathered.  Such  examples  we  may  well 
follow  till  full  day  dawn,  till  harvest  time  shall 
come. 

But  see !  In  our  day  God  is  answering  the 
prayers  of  His  people  in  marvellous  fashion.  It 
is  a  time  of  harvest  in  many  a  field.  Look  at 
Uganda.  Look  at  Korea.  Have  we  not  reason 
to  expect  similar  results  of  work  for  Moham- 
medans when  the  work  is  undertaken  with  faith, 
with  zeal,  with  intelligence  commensurate  with 
the  great  task  ?  Faith  is  mighty.  God  is  al- 
mighty. His  Word  is  in  Mussulman  hands. 
Will  He  not  pour  out  His  spirit  in  answer  to 
our  prayers  ?  Expect  an  early  and  ample  harvest 
from  the  seed  already  sown.     Expect  the  open 


The  Christlike  Life  159 

confession  of  faith  in  Christ  by  many  men,  groups 
of  men  here  and  there,  who  are  already  convinced 
that  in  Him  alone  is  salvation  from  sin  and  heir- 
ship to  life  eternal. 

Lift  up  Jesus  before  the  eyes  of  Mohammedans 
and  expect  them  to  see  His  unique  beauty  of 
character,  His  all-sufficiency  as  Saviour,  His  un- 
matched glory  as  King  of  men,  as  Head  of  all 
the  faithful  on  earth  and  in  heaven. 

Then,  not  all  at  once,  yet  by  great  upheavals 
here  and  there,  and  by  lesser  movements  in  many 
parts  of  the  great  world  field,  God  will  gather  in 
His  chosen  from  every  land  and  from  every  Mus- 
sulman people.  According  to  your  faith,  young 
Christian  workers,  according  to  your  faith  be  it 
unto  you.  I  may  not  see,  but  you  will  see  many 
thousands,  nay  millions  of  those  who  are  now 
devotees  of  Islam,  acknowledging  Christ  alone  as 
Lord,  as  their  Saviour  and  King. 

The  remainder  of  this  chapter  is  devoted  to 
testimonies  of  workers  in  Mohammedan  lands,  in 
answer  to  questions  addressed  to  them  touching 
things  in  Christian  conduct  that  repel  and  that 
win  our  Mussulman  brethren. 

The  weight  of  testimony  confirms  the  position 
that,  above  all  else,  Christlike  living  is  and  is  evef 
to  be  the  thing  of  power. 

The  nearly  twenty  testimonies  communicated, 
which  are  not  here  quoted,  are  the  same  in  tenor 
as  those  given.     Some  repetition  is  observable, 


160        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

but  the  subject  is  vital  for  missio.  ary  workers. 
Success  or  failure  hang  on  right  views  and  right 
action  here. 

"  The  externals  of  the  Christian  life  and  of  our 
civilization  repel  Mohammedans  in  Arabia  quite 
as  frequently  as  does  Christian  teaching.  The 
Western  missionary  is  apt  to  be  too  arrogant,  too 
proud  of  his  own  race  and  nationality,  and  too 
assuming  of  superiority,  to  win  the  Mohammed- 
ans. I  think  we  should  conform  to  Mussulman 
ways  as  much  as  possible,  and  to  Mussulman 
prejudice  as  regards  dress,  food  and  habit  of  life, 
save  where  there  is  a  principle  at  stake.  Love 
will  win  them,  and  we  should  become  all  things 
to  them  in  the  Christian  sense.  Kindness,  social 
fellowship,  helping  the  poor,  healing  the  sick, 
sympathizing  with  their  point  of  view  and  prais- 
ing without  stint  those  things  that  are  good  in 
their  book  and  in  their  prophet  help  to  win  them. 
I  have  always  found  personally  that  sharp  con- 
troversy would  not  estrange  a  Mohammedan  if 
it  was  carried  on  in  a  Christian  spirit  and  always 
ended  in  prayer  with  him  on  the  spot,  for  light 
and  guidance." — S.  M.  Z. 

"  In  Persia,  and  especially  among  the  Bahais, 
the  wars  of  Christian  nations,  e.g.,  the  recent  war 
in  South  Africa,  the  attitude  of  Christian  nations 
towards  nations  of  lower  civilization,  such  as 
England's  seizure  of  India  and  Russia's  advance 
in  Eastern  Asia,  are  certainly  causes  of  offense. 


The  Christlike  Life  i6i 

Then  of  course  we  have  the  offense  of  the  daily 
lives  of  inconsistent  Christians. 

"  That  which  wins  is  life  consistent  with  the 
teachings  of  Christ.  The  qualities  that  it  seems 
to  me  appeal  to  the  Persians  whom  I  know,  more 
than  others,  are  love  and  patience.  About  the 
highest  praise  a  Persian  can  give  a  man  is  that 
he  has  a  good  temper.  In  the  line  of  teaching 
and  appeal  I  have  found  the  simple  story  of 
Christ's  life  of  love,  and  His  death  and  sacrifice, 
to  seem  to  have  more  influence  than  anything 
else.  They  readily  note  the  contrast  to  the  life 
of  Mohammed.  I  think  that  I  would  place 
second  to  that  the  truth  of  the  Fatherhood  of 
God.  And  I  almost  invariably  go  on  from  the 
Fatherhood  of  God  to  the  sonship  of  man  and 
the  Sonship  of  Christ,  showing  how  the  Sonship 
of  Christ  differs  from  that  of  man,  and  then  go 
on  to  the  divinity  of  our  Saviour,  a  H  therefore 
His  power  to  save.  Strange  to  say,  1  have  found 
these  things  that  are  the  rock  of  offense  to 
Mohammedans  the  very  things  to  attract  many 
people.  But  it  must  be  remembered  that  Persian 
history,  even  Mussulman  Persian  history,  is  full 
of  incarnations." — H.  C.  S. 

"  I  do  not  know  of  anything  that  repels  in  the 
attitude  and  conduct  of  our  Indian  Christians, 
except  perhaps  that  some  of  those  who  are  con- 
verts from  Hinduism  carry  into  their  Christianity 
some  of  the  old  hatred  for  Mohammed. 


162        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

"  The  things  that  win  are :  I.  The  avoidance  of 
discussion.  2.  The  preaching  of  the  man  Christ 
Jesus  as  the  pattern  for  all  men.  3.  Leading 
them  to  read  the  Bible  and  helping  them  to  read 
it."— T.  B. 

"  I  do  not  know  anything  in  real  Christian 
attitude  and  conduct  that  repels  Mohammedans. 
Of  course  spurious  Christianity,  inconsistent 
and  unworthy  living  does  so,  and  is  their  stock 
argument.  That  of  which  we  hear  the  most  is 
the  love  and  kindness  shown  them  here  in  the 
hospital  which  we  want  them  to  know  is  for 
Christ's  sake."— W.  S.  D. 

"  Divisions  among  Christians,  dishonesty,  self- 
ishness, evil  living  of  nominal  Christians  repel. 
Simple  friendliness,  sympathy  in  sickness  and 
sorrow,  faithful  care  in  the  hospital  of  all  alike, 
true,  upright  living  among  Christians,  the  desire 
of  Christians  to  speak  to  them  of  their  soul 
needs,  win  them." — E.  T. 

"  That  which  repels  is  largely  supposed  idolatry 
in  the  Christian  churches.  On  entering  our  little 
chapel  at  Ak  Hissar,  on  one  occasion,  with  some 
Mussulman  officers,  I  was  asked,  and  without 
any  thought  of  offending  me, '  Where  are  your 
idols  ? ' 

"  The  trickery  and  double  dealing  in  business 
practiced  by  so-called  Christians  also  repels. 
They  are  won  by  our  accepting  frankly  what 
one  can  approve  in  their  own  faith.     That  at 


The  Christlike  Life  163 

once  puts  you  on  a  comfortable  footing  and 
gives  you  the  opportunity  of  gradually  introduc- 
ing things  that  they  can  approve  in  Christianity. 
This  would  often  bring  them  to  an  unconscious 
acceptance  of  more  than  they  could  possibly  ac- 
cept in  argument.  I  find  Mussulmans  always 
pleased  with  many  of  the  Psalms,  the  fifth 
chapter  of  Matthew,  and  the  thirteenth  of  First 
Corinthians."— J.  P.  McN. 

"  The  things  that  repel  are  :  1.  Indifference 
to  public  worship.  2.  The  lack  of  a  reverential 
attitude  in  its  performance.  3.  The  use  of  wine 
and  pork.  4.  Western  society  customs  and 
dancing.  The  things  that  win  are :  1.  Truth- 
fulness and  justice.  2.  Sympathy  for  the  suf- 
fering and  oppressed.  3.  A  meek  and  con- 
ciliatory spirit." — H.  U.  W. 

"  So  far  as  I  am  able  to  discern,  that  which 
repels  them  is  their  hatred  of  the  so-called  Chris- 
tian people,  whom  they  have  failed  to  convert  to 
the  faith  of  Islam,  and  whose  living  does  not 
please  them ;  and  that  which  wins  them  is  con- 
sistent, dignified  Christian  life  and  character." — 
H.  T.  P. 

"  In  attitude,  the  assumption  of  superiority, 
disdain  of  their  ignorance  or  historical  inaccuracy 
or  pride  of  race ;  in  conduct,  the  low  moral  life 
of  many  Christians,  especially  their  wine  drink- 
ing, also  the  apparent  selfishness  of  Christian 
civilization   repel    Mohammedans.     The   purity, 


164        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

love  and  unworldliness  of  Christ,  the  high  moral 
standard  of  the  Gospel,  the  justice  and  truthful- 
ness and  unselfishness  of  some  Christians,  the 
better  side  of  Christian  civilization  with  its  fruits 
of  a  higher  life  win  them." — S.  G.  W. 

"  Mohammedans  are  repelled  by  our  irregularity 
in  prayer,  by  our  lack  of  ceremonial,  and  by  our 
use  of  the  names  of  Jesus,  Moses  and  Mohammed 
without  the  proper  titles  of  respect.  The  greatest 
power  to  win  them  in  this  city  and  vicinity  is, 
without  any  question,  the  gracious  kindness  and 
medical  success  of  our  hospital  and  more  particu- 
larly of  Dr.  Shepherd  himself."— S.  V.  R.  T. 

"  Drinking  habits,  want  of  charity,  a  too  free 
(European)  intercourse  with  women,  and  a 
wanton,  aggressive  method  of  preaching  the 
Gospel,  in  which  the  elements  of  light  and  truth 
found  in  Islam  are  disregarded,  always  repel.  A 
consistent  Christian  life  and  the  witnessing  of  the 
excellences  of  Christ  and  the  Christian  faith  in 
the  humble,  gentle  and  forgiving  spirit  of  the 
Master  never  fail  to  win." — W.  B. 

"  Wine  and  drunkenness  is  a  perennial  objec- 
tion. The  political  aims  of  Christians  are  an 
obstacle.  In  general  any  low  standard  of  morals 
repels.  Yet  I  have  more  than  once  had  the 
Christian  law  of  marriage  objected  to  on  the 
ground  that  its  strictness  works  injustice.  I 
think  that  the  good  name  of  the  mission  here 
for  honourable  dealing,  pure  living  and  kindness 


The  Christlike  Life  165 

to  all,  without  distinction,  is  the  most  valuable 
asset  we  have.  In  this  line  neighbourliness  and 
approachableness  are  very  important.  In  some 
of  these  things  I  think  the  Mohammedans  are 
superior  to  the  Christians  about  us." — W.  A.  S. 

"  Lives  so  parallel  to  their  own  that  it  does 
not  call  them  to  pause  and  mark  the  difference 
repel.  Upright  living  and  fair  dealing  command 
their  respect." — L.  M.  H. 

"  Slavish  fear,  ignorance,  want  of  religion  re- 
pel. Kindness,  humility  in  speaking,  knowledge 
of  Christian  doctrine,  holy  living  win." — A.  Y.  T. 

"  I  can  speak  for  India  only.  Here,  in  my 
opinion,  it  is  a  great  misfortune  that  Christianity 
was  introduced  by  the  members  of  the  ruling 
race.  A  Mohammedan,  when  he  becomes  a 
Christian,  is  altogether  cut  off  from  his  people, 
from  all  associations,  and  in  many  cases  he  loses 
all  he  had.  Here  he  sees  the  racial  distinction  is 
observed.  This  is  quite  a  new  thing  to  him. 
He  knows  that  one  who  becomes  a  Mohammedan 
has  all  the  rights  of  other  Mohammedans,  no 
matter  to  what  nationality  he  belongs.  Treat 
Mohammedans  with  true  Christian  and  brotherly 
love ;  make  no  difference  whatsoever,  and  make 
every  possible  sacrifice  to  win  them  to  Christ." 
—A.  S. 

"  The  native  Christians  repel  the  Mohammed- 
ans because  of  their  apparent  worship  of  pictures 
and  crosses,  which  idea  it  is  almost  impossible  to 


166        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

eradicate  from  the  Mussulman  mind.  Both  the 
foreign  and  the  native  Christian  repels  by  his  use 
of  intoxicants  and  pork.  The  foreigner  is  often 
put  down  as  having  no  religion,  which  is  often 
the  case,  at  least  no  outward  appearance  of  it. 
The  medical  work  of  the  missionary  these  people 
speak  of  almost  with  reverence.  The  care  of  the 
poor,  the  blind,  etc.,  is  known  by  them  and 
praised.  Some  of  them  like  our  fairness,  others 
admire  our  intelligence,  but  they  say, '  God  leads 
whom  He  will.'  Some  of  the  Turks  distinguish 
the  Protestants  and  call  them  especially  right- 
eous."—A.  K.  B. 

"  A  proud,  dogmatic  attitude,  want  of  sym- 
pathy and  respect,  and  ignoring  of  the  Koran  as 
only  evil,  a  failure  to  appreciate  the  difficulties  of 
the  Mussulman  when  asked  to  accept  the  mys- 
teries of  the  Trinity  and  the  Sonship  of  Christ, 
and  the  doctrine  of  the  atonement  repel.  The 
person  and  work  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  fullness  of 
present  salvation  from  sin  through  Him,  win 
their  attention."— E.  M.  W. 

"  The  things  that  repel  are  our  failure  to  com- 
ply with  their  religious  customs,  e.  g.,  the  fast, 
posture  in  prayer  and  other  outward  observances, 
our  eating  of  pork,  also  the  inconsistencies  of 
Christians,  but  to  a  less  degree,  as  far  as  has  come 
to  my  knowledge. 

"  The  things  that  win  are  the  philanthropic 
spirit  as  shown  in  medical  relief  work,  a  Christ- 


The  Christlike  Life  167 

like  spirit,  especially  the  passive  virtues,  as  hu- 
mility, meekness,  also  honesty.  They  distinguish 
along  this  line,  and  I  have  been  struck  with  their 
discernment  of  character  along  spiritual  lines." — 
E.  W.  McD. 

"  Mohammedans  are  really  won  to  high  re- 
spect for  Christianity  when  seen  through  prac- 
tical efforts  to  relieve  distress.  Often  have  offi- 
cials said  to  me  with  a  look  and  a  sigh  that  were 
expressive,  '  We  have  not  such  in  our  practice 
though  we  have  it  in  the  Koran.'  Many  realize 
how  far  they  live  from  what  they  accept  as  their 
code  of  teaching." — C.  S. 

"  The  inconsistencies  of  the  nominal  Christian 
churches  around  them  are  in  a  great  degree  re- 
sponsible for  their  aversion  to  Christianity ;  the 
pictures  in  their  churches,  their  dishonesty  in 
business,  their  life  in  general,  so  contrary  to  their 
profession.  Whenever  they  see  Christians  living 
as  they  profess  to  believe,  it  disarms  prejudice 
and  silences  their  objections." — L.  B. 

"  Mohammedans  believe  Oriental  Christians  to 
be  really  idolaters.  It  is  the  blackest  charge  that 
can  be  laid  at  the  door  of  the  Oriental  churches 
that  practically  never  in  all  history  have  they 
been  able  to  win  one  Mohammedan  to  respect 
their  Christian  character  enough  to  adopt  it  for 
himself. 

"  In  military  and  official  circles  they  regard 
the  so-called  Christian  governments  of  Europe  as 


168        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

engaged  in  a  game  of  grab  Vvith  Turkey  and  with 
one  another.  At  least  they  do  not  credit  any 
with  too  much  conscience  to  engage  in  such 
games." — G.  E.  W. 

From  "  The  Opening  Door  to  Mussulman 
Homes  "  : 

"  It  is  supposed  that  we  are  at  work  for  the 
nominally  Christian  population,  and  so  we  are, 
but  we  meet  many  Mohammedans,  and  little  by 
little  learn  to  know,  respect  and  love  the  best  of 
them.  The  hospitality,  politeness  and  cleanli- 
ness of  the  better  classes,  their  love  for  flowers 
and  little  children,  their  tender  consideration  for 
the  blind,  the  lame  and  the  insane,  or  even  for  a 
sick  animal,  appeal  to  the  fine  feelings  of  an  edu- 
cated Christian. 

"  With  what  hopes  have  I  sought  to  enter 
Mussulman  homes  ?  First,  to  console  the  poor 
women  who  are  so  shut  up  in  the  harems.  Sec- 
ond, to  teach  them  truths  common  to  their  re- 
ligion and  ours.  When  I  ask  them  •  Shall  I  read 
a  little  to  you  from  the  Testament  ?  '  they  eagerly 
answer,  '  Oh,  yes ;  four  books  came  down  from 
heaven,  the  Pentateuch,  the  Psalms,  the  Testa- 
ment and  Koran.'  Never  has  any  one  refused 
me  an  entrance  to  her  house.  Men  and  little 
boys  have  met  me  in  the  street  and  invited  me  to 
their  homes. 

"  In  a  clean,  sweet  home  in  one  of  our  cities,  I 


The  Christlike  Life  169 

opened  the  Testament  and  one  boy  came  and 
sat  close  to  me  on  my  right,  another  on  my  left 
and  two  others  directly  in  front,  all  listening 
eagerly  to  my  reading  and  my  counsels  not  to 
lie,  curse  or  swear.  In  one  of  the  most  wealthy 
homes  of  the  same  city,  the  weak  and  weary 
mistress  heard  me  read  the  story  of  the  Good 
Samaritan,  and  said, '  There  is  no  one  like  that 
nowadays.'  *  Oh,  yes,  there  is,'  I  said,  and  told 
her  of  the  English  lady  who  went  as  a  mission- 
ary to  the  lepers,  and  of  other  similar  cases. 

"  In  another  home  a  woman  whom  I  had  visited 
seven  years  before  said, '  I  have  hunted  for  you 
and  could  find  no  one  to  tell  me  of  you  ;  gladly 
do  I  welcome  you.'  In  a  village,  as  I  was  finish- 
ing a  call  on  the  wife  of  the  chief  man,  she  asked 
me  to  go  into  the  Selamlik  and  see  her  husband. 
He  received  me  with  marked  courtesy  and 
listened  to  my  reading  and  my  talk  about  the 
New  Birth. 

"  In  another  village  of  Mohammedans  I  read 
to  a  group  of  women  busy  in  preparing  bread  for 
the  oven.  One  said, '  Four  of  us  have  sons  in 
America.  Won't  you  pray  for  them  ?  '  How 
reverentially  they  listened  to  my  prayer  ! 

"  They  acknowledge  Jesus  to  be  a  prophet. 
Will  they  not  in  time  receive  Him  as  Saviour  ? 
The  most  winning  method  for  us  to  rely  upon  is 
the  sweet  and  holy  lives  of  those  who  truly  love 
our  Lord. 


170        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

"  I  am  convinced  that  we  do  not  understand 
the  Mohammedans.  We  must  get  nearer  to 
them  as  friends,  press  the  claims  of  Christ  upon 
them,  help  them  all  we  can,  and  so  build  up  con- 
fidence. Our  oldest  missionary  declares  that  a 
Mohammedan  can  always,  to  his  own  supreme 
satisfaction,  conquer  in  an  argument.  But  surely 
they  cannot  resist  love  and  a  holy  life,  and  for 
this  conquering  power  all  Christians  in  this  land 
should  aim." — C.  E.  B. 

From  a  Diary  : 

"  During  the  summer  months  more  than  two 
hundred  Turkish  women  and  children  came  in 
groups  to  our  house.  No  doubt  they  came 
largely  out  of  curiosity  to  see  how  these  foreign- 
ers live,  to  see  and  hear  the  melodeon,  to  see  the 
sewing-machine,  etc.  I  restrained  their  curiosity 
somewhat,  for  their  own  best  good.  Instead  of 
allowing  them  to  ramble  freely  over  the  house, 
opening  every  door  and  every  drawer,  I  made 
them  come  in  and  sit  down  quietly,  while  I  did 
my  best  to  entertain  them,  and  to  gratify  every 
reasonable  curiosity.  I  soon  found  to  my  de- 
light that  they  were  very  much  pleased  with 
sacred  music.  So  I  always  opened  my  melodeon 
and  played  and  sang  to  them.  Many  a  time  I 
have  seen  these  Turkish  women  really  affected  by 
that  hymn,  so  familiar  to  Christians,  '  How  sweet 
the  Name  of  Jesus  sounds,  in  a  believer's  ear.' 


The  Christlike  Life  171 

Many  of  them  listened  intently  as  each  verse  was 
slowly  and  distinctly  read  before  it  was  sung. 
Some  wept,  others  ejaculated, '  Amen,'  and  still 
others  would  exclaim  :  '  Listen,  it  is  true.'  So 
was  it  also  when  Bible  stories  were  read  to  them. 
Poor  hungry  souls,  they  felt  the  need  of  such  a 
Friend  and  Comforter  in  their  own  dark  homes 
and  hearts,  to  help  them  bear  the  burdens  and 
sorrows  of  this  life,  and  be  to  them  a  bright 
hope  for  the  life  to  come.  I  have  been  surprised 
to  find  that  many  of  the  younger  and  brighter  of 
these  women  could  read,  and  one  or  two  begged 
me  for  hymn-books  to  keep,  which  I  gladly 
gave.  There  arose  a  great  demand  for  the  texts 
in  Osmanli  Turkish  printed  in  large  lithographed 
type  on  large  sheets,  which  we  gave  freely  to  all 
who  asked  for  them  and  they  left  rejoicing  in 
their  new-found  treasures.  But,  alas !  the  hus- 
bands or  fathers  or  brothers  were  most  of  them 
fanatical  or  bigoted  Turks,  and  did  not  long  al- 
low us  to  sow  the  good  seed  so  freely. 

"  Many  of  the  women  were  forbidden  to  come 
to  us,  and  some  of  the  printed  sheets  were  re- 
turned. 

"  A  few  Turkish  women  occasionally  ventured 
into  the  weekly  prayer-meeting  held  by  the 
Armenian  women,  and  have  even  requested 
that  the  meeting  should  be  held  in  their  own 
homes ;  and  this  has  been  done  in  a  few  cases. 

"  With  the  dawning  of  a  new  day  of  liberty  for 


172        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

the  peoples  of  Turkey,  what  an  awakening  of  in- 
terest in  those  things  which  concern  the  soul-life 
shall  we  not  be  permitted  to  witness  in  the  provi- 
dence of  God."— H.  M.  H. 

Let  us  not  attempt  to  measure  results  of  mis- 
sionary influence  upon  the  Moslems  among 
whom  missionaries  live  by  the  number  of  con- 
verts baptized.  In  Turkey  at  least  the  winning 
power  of  Christlike  living  before  Moslem  eyes  is 
far  greater  than  is  commonly  known. 


XIII 

CONVERTS  AS  LEAVEN 

WE  are  met  at  once  with  a  statement 
which  every  missionary  of  experi- 
ence among  Mohammedans  will  in- 
stantly confirm.  A  convert  from  Islam  to  Chris- 
tianity remains  among  his  own  people  at  the  peril 
of  loss  of  all  he  possesses,  of  forcible  separation 
from  his  wife  and  children,  yes,  and  at  the  peril 
of  life  itself ! 

This  is  true  even  if  he  escapes  arrest  and  con- 
fiscation of  goods  by  a  Mussulman  government, 
on  the  ground  that  his  change  of  religion  involves 
an  offense  against  the  religion  of  the  state. 

This  position  was  taken  with  show  of  reason 
in  Turkey  when  only  Mussulmans  were  subject 
to  military  service. 

In  Oriental  lands  the  bonds  that  bind  men  to 
one  another,  especially  in  the  case  of  kindred, 
are  closer  than  in  the  West.  Houses  are  smaller. 
Three  generations  often  live  together.  Every 
life  is  lived  directly  and  almost  all  the  time  under 
others'  eyes.  To  a  peril  so  incurred  by  a  convert 
from  Islam  to  Christianity  stands  opposed  the 
supreme  importance  of  his  remaining  a  Christian, 
among  his  own  people.  Sometimes  this  is  not 
173 


174        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

possible.  Still  it  may  be  quite  possible  for  him 
to  go,  for  a  time,  not  out  of  his  own  country, 
but  to  another  place  within  his  own  country, 
where  he  has  no  local  ties,  but  where  he  will  be 
in  a  measure  at  home,  as  to  language  and  familiar 
social  customs. 

In  order  that  Christians  of  the  West  may  fully 
appreciate  the  circumstances  of  Oriental  converts 
to  Christianity,  two  special  facts  require  to  be 
considered.  First.  The  individual  is  not  the 
unit  among  Oriental  peoples.  The  family  or 
clan  is  the  unit.  It  is  therefore  an  offense  against 
the  social  order  for  a  man  to  break  away  from 
his  family  or  ancestral  Penates.  He  may  in  his 
heart  accept  a  new  religion,  but  he  must  not  pub- 
licly separate  himself  from  his  kindred. 

It  was  the  doctrine  of  the  solidarity  of  a  race 
that  led  the  Turks  to  kill  innocent  Armenians  in 
1895  and  1896. 

Secondly.  It  is  a  sentiment  that  has  grown 
up  naturally  among  those  subject  to  despotic  and 
oppressive  governments  that  it  is  a  man's  right, 
and  his  duty,  to  conceal  his  most  cherished  per- 
sonal convictions  and  interests  from  official  es- 
pionage, and  from  those  who  may  betray  him. 

A  close  acquaintance  with  Oriental  life  shows 
how  difficult  is  the  position  of  one  who  has  been 
convinced  that  Islam  does  not  open  to  him  a  way 
of  reconciliation  with  God,  his  heavenly  Father, 
and  that  the  name  of  Jesus  is  the  only  name 


Converts  as  Leaven  175 

given  whereby  men  can  be  saved.  It  is  almost 
certain  that  he  will  believe  he  is  doing  right,  at 
least  till  his  Christian  experience  deepens  and 
grows,  in  keeping  to  himself,  or  sharing  only 
with  one  bosom  friend,  his  new-found  faith. 

Only  a  little  while  ago,  a  young  law  student  at 
Constantinople,  after  attending  Christian  services 
all  winter,  after  studying  carefully  New  Testament 
teachings,  and  showing  more  than  once  that  he 
was  under  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  sud- 
denly retired,  only  for  a  time,  we  are  glad  to  say, 
from  all  public  associations  with  Christians. 

To  the  question,  Can  converts  from  Islam  to 
Christianity  be  kept  as  leaven  among  their  own 
people  ?  many  important  testimonies  have  been 
received.  From  this  mass  of  valuable  expert  tes- 
timony we  quote  what  follows  : 

"  The  leaven  cannot  work  upon  the  lump  from 
the  outside ;  it  must  be  buried  within.  Sooner 
or  later  converts  must  remain  as  leaven,  but  at 
first  it  will  be  again  the  blood  of  martyrs  that 
will  be  the  seed.  I  know  occasionally  of  indi- 
vidual Moslems  believed  by  friends  to  be  sincere 
Christians,  but  in  secret  for  fear  of  persecution. 

"  I  do  not  think  any  Mohammedan  of  my  ac- 
quaintance could  expect  now  to  avow  his  con- 
version to  Christianity  and  withstand  the  tide 
of  fanaticism  that  would  rise  against  him." — 
G.  E.  W. 

"  Beyond  all  doubt  they  should  be  so  kept  if 


176        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

possible,  and  should  they  not  remain  even  at  the 
peril  of  life  ? 

"  Many  years  ago,  in  the  city  of  Angora,  I 
baptized  openly  a  Mussulman,  but  then  the  state 
of  things  in  Turkey  was  not  as  it  has  been  the 
last  thirty  years. 

"  Some  twenty  years  ago,  I  knew  very  well  a 
Turk  who  would,  I  think,  have  been  baptized  de- 
spite all  dangers,  had  I  encouraged  it.  I  believe 
a  New  Testament  was  found  under  his  head 
when  he  died.  In  this  case  I  am  not  quite  sure 
whether  I  did  right.  The  power  under  God  to 
convert  the  Mussulman  is  the  purity  and  love  of 
Christ  as  learned  in  His  word  and  as  seen  in  the 
lives  of  true  faithful  Christians." — W.  A.  F. 

"  If  the  new  move  towards  reformation  and 
liberty  in  Turkey  shall  prove  effective  so  that 
Mohammedans  may  accept  Christianity  without 
fear  of  opposition  from  the  government,  I  be- 
lieve they  can  do  more  among  their  own  people 
to  win  them  to  the  truth  than  foreigners  or  any 
class  of  their  native  Christian  friends  can  do. 

"  There  are  thousands  of  copies  of  the  Bible 
distributed  among  them,  and  read  secretly  for 
fear  of  betrayal,  and  I  believe  if  all  fear  can  be 
taken  away  a  very  large  number  <.l  Mohammed- 
ans, convinced  of  the  error  in  which  they  have 
lived,  will  begin  to  inquire  for  the  better  way  and 
will  be  led  into  it.  I  think  that  the  progress  of 
Christianity  among  the  Mohammedans  of  North 


Converts  as  Leaven  177 

India  will  confirm  this  opinion.  Can  we  not 
hope  that  one  genuinely  converted  Mohammedan 
may  have  more  influence  among  his  own  people 
than  a  half  dozen  non-Mussulmans  could  have  ?  " 
— L.  B. 

"  Yes,  they  should  be  kept  in  their  own  coun- 
try if  possible,  but  no  compulsion  should  be  used, 
if  they  choose,  at  their  own  charges,  to  go  to 
Europe  or  America.  If  and  when  religious  lib- 
erty is  a  fact  the  problem  of  persuading  converts 
from  Islam  to  Christianity  to  remain  among  their 
own  people  loses  much  of  its  acuteness.  Sup- 
porting them  by  foreign  funds  is  much  to  be 
regretted." — H.  O.  D. 

"  As  among  the  Jews,  I  presume  that  many 
secret  believers  will  not  have  the  courage  to  de- 
clare themselves,  and  if  they  are  at  all  aggressive, 
some  good  may  be  done.  But  I  think  all  history 
is  eloquent  in  attesting  the  fact  that  all  religious 
reformations  on  any  great  scale  are  due  largely  to 
those  who  have  taken  an  uncompromising  stand 
on  what  they  regarded  as  truth ;  and  I  believe 
that  must  be  one  of  the  most  prominent  phe- 
nomena in  the  conversion  of  the  Mussulman 
world."— J.  P.  McN. 

For  Arabia,  Drs.  Zwemer  and  Bennett,  and  for 
Persia,  Dr.  Wilson  and  Messrs.  Jordan  and  Schuler 
affirm  the  possibility  as  well  as  the  importance  of 
retaining  converts  as  leaven  among  their  own 
people. 


1 78        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

From  India  testimonies  vary.  "  For  the  pres- 
ent it  is  physically  impossible  in  Malabar  to  keep 
converts  from  Islam  as  leaven  among  their  own 
people.  They  would  either  prevail  upon  the 
converts  to  reject  their  new  faith  or  they  would 
kill  them."— W.  B. 

"  If  the  converts  are  sincere  and  genuine,  they 
would  do  much  more  work  than  a  paid  agent 
does,  at  the  present  age.  Let  the  converts  bear 
the  persecutions,  let  them  stand  firm,  and  let  them 
stay  in  their  own  homes  in  spite  of  all  opposition. 
Of  course  if  there  is  danger  of  their  lives,  then 
they  might  be  protected.  I  myself  tried  one  case 
and  am  glad  to  say  it  has  done  much  good.  The 
man  lives  amongst  his  own  people  and  does  the 
same  work.  Now  he  likes  to  devote  his  life  for 
his  Master,  which  I  hope  will  do  much  good." — 
A.  S. 

"  Only  in  isolated  cases.  The  caste  system  is 
strong  even  among  Mohammedans  and  in  not  a 
few  cases  isolated  converts  are  attacked  by  sys- 
tematic temptations  to  impurity  or  drunkenness  or 
allured  by  marriage  or  wealth.  When  families  or 
groups  of  families  come  over,  the  case  is  differ- 
ent :  but  this  is  rare." — H.  U.  W. 

"  The  possibility  of  converts  remaining  among 
their  own  people  is  steadily  on  the  increase  in 
India  even  along  the  frontier." — T.  B. 

Dr.  Wherry,  also  in  North  India,  it  is  to  be 
observed,  gives  his  testimony  to  the  possibility  of 


Converts  as  Leaven  1 79 

keeping  converts  as  leaven  among  their  own 
people. 

"  Only  when  there  is  a  little  company  of  them 
can  they  be  kept  as  leaven  among  their  own 
people." — J.  A. 

"  Now  we  are  beginning  to  be  able  to  keep 
our  converts.  Formerly  we  could  not  do  so." — 
J.  C.  Y. 

"  Converts  from  Islam  cannot  be  used  as  a 
leaven  to  their  own  people  because  of  the  fierce 
persecution  they  are  subjected  to." — J.  E. 

"  It  depends  on  the  individual.  Missionaries 
in  India,  where  there  are  large  numbers  of  con- 
verts, can  judge  best :  elsewhere  (e.  g.,  in  Egypt) 
the  convert  is  forced  to  range  himself  with  either 
the  native  Christians  or  the  missionaries  and  their 
associates.  The  change  of  religion  involves  a 
change  of  nationality." — D.  S.  M. 

"  Up  to  the  present  time  converts  could 
remain  at  home  to  a  very  limited  extent.  I  have 
in  mind  one  man  who  has  been  able  to  act  as 
leaven  among  his  former  co-religionists  in  a 
marked  way. 

"  There  are  several  Mohammedans  in  A 

and  B who  have  virtually  accepted  Christ,  and 

wish  to  work  as  leaven  among  their  own  people. 
I  think  that  as  soon  as  a  group  of  believers  is 
secured,  an  open  declaration  is  the  only  right  and 
sincere  attitude."— S.  V.  R.  T. 

The  pretty  uniform  answer  of  correspondents 


180        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

to  the  question  touching  the  considerateness  to 
be  exercised  towards  converts  who  shrink  from 
openly  confessing  their  new  faith  is  in  favour  of 
patience  and  charity  in  view  of  the  peril  to  which 
such  confession  exposes  them.  At  the  same 
time  this  peril  must  sooner  or  later  be  faced. 

"  When  I  became  a  Christian  I  had  to  make 
the  fact  known.  Stability  and  growth  come  in 
this  way.  If  a  man  chooses  a  course  which  re- 
sults in  martyrdom  his  testimony  is  positive  and 
expressive." — J.  A. 

"  We  must  be  patient  and  charitable,  because 
they  are  liable  to  lose  everything.  Often,  how- 
ever, if  they  do  not  confess  they  fall  away." — 
G.  Y.  H. 

"  I  have  more  charity  with  the  faults  of  chil- 
dren than  with  those  of  adults.  A  new  convert 
is  a  child.  The  man  in  a  Western  land  has  cen- 
turies of  Christian  history  behind  him,  while  one 
born  a  Mussulman  is  just  emerging  from  his 
childhood's  faith,  and  must  of  necessity  cling  to 
much  of  what  he  respected  in  the  old.  Besides, 
for  the  Mussulman,  newly  converted,  to  openly 
avow  the  change  means  persecution  and  probably 
death.  This  requires  so  much  courage  that  I 
would  have  a  good  deal  of  sympathy  with  the 
man  who  hesitated  to  take  the  plunge." — 
J.  P.  McN. 

"  It  costs  for  Mussulmans  to  confess  Christian- 
ity.    Everything  is  against  them.     Their  training 


Converts  as  Leaven  181 

and  habit  of  mind  have  made  it  more  difficult  to 
accept  a  religion  like  Christianity." — E.  T. 

"  I  am  charitable  because  of  Christ's  example 
and  spirit  in  dealing  with  men." — E.  M.  McD. 

"  If  a  Mohammedan  makes  open  confession  of 
the  truth  of  Christianity,  while  all  the  Turks  are 
against  him,  they  curse  him  and  even  his  life  is 
in  danger." — T.  D.  C. 

"  I  would  be  charitable  with  the  true  converts 
from  Islam,  since  they  are  resisted  by  the  might- 
iest of  the  powers  of  evil  in  the  world." — H.  T.  P, 

"  Indeed  I  wish  to  be  more  charitable  to 
Mussulmans,  who  are  becoming  Christians  but 
who  are  afraid  of  open  confession,  than  to  men 
in  America  under  similar  circumstances,  because 
here  the  social  and  religious  persecution  has 
proven  very  severe,  so  severe  as  to  compel  exile. 
The  situation  is  changing  rapidly,  and  one  Mus- 
sulman in  the  city  of  Killis  has  openly  become  a 
Christian  and  has  not  been  molested  in  any  way 
whatever." — S.  V.  R.  T. 

"  Yes,  we  should  be  more  charitable  to  them, 
because  confession  is  more  difficult,  because  by 
fostering  a  number  of  secret  believers  it  will  be 
easier  for  them  to  confess  Christ  as  a  company 
than  it  would  be  individually,  and  because  this 
class  of  Mussulmans  seems  to  be  a  very  large 
one,  and  greatly  deserves  tender  care  and  chari- 
table judgment.  We  should  put  ourselves  in 
their  place.     It  is  very  hard  for  a  Mohammedan 


iSl        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

to  confess  Christ  openly  even  in  the  most  favour- 
able fields."— S.  M.  Z. 

"  There  will  come  a  day  when  some  prominent 
men  can  stick  and  fight  it  out.  As  it  is  now  it 
is  almost  impossible  to  live.  However,  before 
long  it  should  be  tried,  but  not  before  mission- 
aries also  are  willing  to  lay  down  their  lives,  for 
example  in  penetrating  into  forbidden  territory, 
so  that  the  converts  can  see  that  their  leaders  do 
not  shrink  from  what  may  be  duty." — A.  K.  B. 

"  The  only  reason  I  know  of  is  the  fear  of 
persecution  for  them.  I  often  question  whether 
we  do  right  in  this.  Is  it  to  be  expected  that 
there  will  be  any  great  turning  of  Mohammedans 
here  to  Christ  without  going  through  the  fires  of 
persecution  ?  until  they  see  some  of  their  own 
number  enduring  even  martyrdom  for  Christ's 
sake  ?  "— W.  S.  D. 

"  More  charitable,  yes.  At  the  same  time  we 
must  not  in  any  way  allow  people  to  think  that 
Christianity  tolerates  religious  dissimilation,  which 
I  am  convinced  has  had  much  to  do  with  the 
demoralization  of  Persian  character." — W.  A.  S. 

"  Yes,  more  charitable  for  the  reason  of  the 
principle  laid  down  by  Christ,  that  to  whomso- 
ever much  has  been  given,  of  him  shall  much  be 
required.  Men  in  Christian  lands  have  been 
blessed  with  more  light  and  better  privileges, 
and  should  therefore,  it  seems  to  me,  be  held  to 
stricter  account  than  those  who  have  been  less 


Converts  as  Leaven  183 

favoured.  The  sin  of  a  man  in  a  Western  land, 
it  would  seem,  is  greater  than  that  of  one  who 
has  had  fewer  privileges.  However,  allow  me  to 
say  that  I  believe  that  open  confession  of  Christ 
is  essential  in  a  Christian  in  Persia." — H.  C.  S. 

"  I  certainly  judge  them  more  leniently.  One 
feels  almost  ashamed  at  times  to  invite  a  Mus- 
sulman to  profess  Christianity,  when  one  is 
protected  by  a  foreign  flag,  but  the  convert 
must  suffer  so  much.  Since  to  him  it  means 
the  loss  of  friends,  property  and  perhaps  life,  we 
should  be  very  charitable  if  he  hesitates  openly 
to  profess  his  faith.  At  the  same  time  we  must 
hold  up  the  requirement  of  Christ  and  not  allow 
the  convert  to  feel  that  secret  faith  is  sufficient. 
The  convert  from  Shiahism  will  be  specially 
inclined  to  this,  since  he  has  been  accustomed 
to  regard  religious  dissimilation  as  lawful." — 
S.  G.  W. 

"  Not  confessing  is  practical  denial  of  Christ." 
— S.  M.  J. 

"  Yes,  more  charitable  because  of  the  persecu- 
tion and  danger  of  death  in  the  case  of  the 
Mohammedan,  but  many  are  stronger  Christians 
than  the  average  convert  at  home." — E.  M.  W. 

"  Of  course  I  am  more  charitable,  for  to  make 
an  open  confession  of  his  faith  in  Christ  means 
for  a  Mohammedan,  at  least  in  Malabar,  to  lose 
everything  and  to  stand  continually  in  jeopardy 
of  death."— W.  B. 


184        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

Concerning  the  query  which  often  arises 
touching  the  comparative  results  in  missionary 
work  for  Mohammedans  and  for  heathen,  the 
testimonies  here  given  throw  light  upon  the 
subject  of  this  chapter. 

"  It  cannot  be  harder  for  God  though  it  some- 
times seems  harder  for  us.  If  it  is  not  harder  for 
God,  it  must  seem  harder  to  us  only  because  of 
our  unbelief.  I  firmly  believe  that  if  like  faith 
and  like  effort  were  used  among  Mussulman  and 
heathen  the  difference  in  results  would  not  be 
great."— S.  M.  Z. 

"  Yes,  it  is  harder  to  convert  Moslems  than  to 
convert  heathen,  chiefly  because  the  fanaticism 
of  their  co-religionists  is  far  greater  than  that  of 
the  Hindus.  But  some  other  facts  should  also 
be  kept  in  mind.  Islam  as  a  religious  system 
and  as  a  social  fabric  is  much  more  compact 
than  Hinduism.  There  is  besides  in  Islam  a 
spirit  of  brotherhood,  of  which  Hinduism  with 
its  caste  system  does  not  know  anything.  The 
same  religious  privileges  are  enjoyed  by  all  the 
members  of  the  Mohammedan  community  alike. 
And  last,  but  not  least,  Islam  is  a  monotheistic 
religion,  and  on  account  of  this  and  other  re- 
ligious truths  connected  with  it  a  Mohammedan 
does  not  feel  the  absolute  necessity  of  chang- 
ing his  religion  so  keenly  as  Hindus  do." — 
W.  B. 

"  The  testimony  of  experience  largely  agrees 


Converts  as  Leaven  185 

on  the  point,  and  this  must  weigh  with  those 
who  have  not  tried  both.  It  is  harder  to  con- 
vert Mohammedans  than  heathen  to  Christianity 
because  Islam  convinces  by  its  truth  and  then 
proclaims  God's  merciful  authorization  to  every 
man  to  do  as  he  chooses  in  personal  ethics. 
Islam  is  thus  an  '  easier '  religion  and  that  is 
what  men  want.  The  pagan  who  learns  of  God 
revealed  in  Jesus  Christ  is  ready  to  accept  from 
his  teacher  the  corollary  of  serving  God  in  spirit 
and  in  truth.  The  Mohammedan  on  the  other 
hand  knows  (thinks  he  does)  that  God  in  His 
infinite  mercy  has  said, '  Ye  can  serve  God  and 
mammon.'  To  deny  this  is  to  deny  the  com- 
passion of  God, — and  there  you  are.  Still  a 
Mohammedan  once  converted  is  far  and  away 
in  advance  of  the  average  convert  from  pagan- 
ism."—H.  O.  D. 

"  In  the  Punjab  I  believe  that  more  of  the  con- 
verts (excluding  those  from  the  depressed  classes) 
are  from  Islam  rather  than  from  Hinduism.  The 
causes  for  this  seem  to  be :  1.  The  pantheism  of 
Hinduism  is  more  deadening  to  conscience  and 
harder  to  grapple  with  argumentatively  than  the 
deism  of  Islam.  2.  The  caste  system  in  Hindu- 
ism is  more  rigid  in  itself  and  a  stronger  barrier 
against  the  spread  of  the  Christian  society : 
hence  leaving  his  community  and  returning  to  it 
are  both  easier  for  the  Mohammedan.  3.  The 
common  truths  of  Christianity  and  Islam  are  to 


186        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

some  extent  a  bridge,  especially  the  doctrine  of 
Scripture,  which  affords  considerable  leverage  in 
persuading  the  Mohammedan  to  read  and  study 
the  Bible  with  reverence." — H.  U.  W. 

"  To  convert  a  Mussulman  to  Christianity  is 
not  harder  in  any  sense  than  to  convert  a  heathen, 
because  a  Mussulman  is  already  on  his  way 
towards  Christianity.  I  should  say  he  is  at  half- 
way. If  he  has  read  the  Koran  he  knows  a  good 
deal  about  Christ.  Simply  what  we  have  to  do 
is  to  show  the  parallel  passages  in  the  Koran 
about  Christ  and  Mohammed.  If  he  is  an  open- 
minded  man  he  can  see  the  superiority  of  Christ 
to  Mohammed.  After  this  we  ought  to  point  him 
to  the  moral  code  of  Christ  and  the  moral  code 
of  Mohammed  and  show  him  the  contrast  be- 
tween the  two.  We  must  touch  his  heart  first 
not  his  intellect.  Afterwards  we  can  reach  his 
intellect  and  point  out  the  necessity  of  incarna- 
tion and  atonement.  A  heathen  may  be  won  to 
Christ  sooner  than  a  Mussulman,  but  it  will  take 
a  long  time  before  he  can  grasp  the  Christian 
truth.  A  Mussulman  once  convinced  is  in  a 
position  to  express  his  faith  in  Christ  more 
clearly  than  a  heathen  convert." — A.  S. 

In  illustration  of  the  subject  of  this  chapter  a 
number  of  typical  cases  are  here  cited  in  detail. 
They  show,  in  different  ways,  the  significance  and 
value  of  retaining  a  convert  among  his  own  peo- 
ple, and,  in  some  of  the  cases,  the  sad  result  of 


Converts  as  Leaven  187 

foreign  support  or  of  expatriation.  The  pressure 
upon  the  missionary  to  aid  a  convert  in  one  of 
these  ways  is  very  strong,  and  may  be  clear  duty. 
But  these  are  exceptions.  The  principle  for 
which  we  contend  finds  ample  illustration  in 
missionary  experience  and  is  fundamental  in 
missions. 

Hafiz. — It  is  about  thirty-five  years  since  the 
writer  made  the  acquaintance  of  a  Turk  in  middle 
life,  named  Hafiz,  in  the  city  of  Marsovan.  He 
was  an  auctioneer  or  crier  in  the  market,  and 
earned  his  humble  support  in  that  way. 

He  had  a  little  house  in  a  purely  Turkish 
quarter.  His  children  had  grown  up  and  were 
living  in  other  cities.  His  wife  only  was  with 
him.  He  had  no  other  relative,  either  near  or 
remote,  in  the  city.  He  had  a  smiling  face,  a 
winning  manner.  He  could  read ;  his  wife  could 
not.  He  became  a  Christian,  never  obtruded  the 
fact  and  never  denied  it.  He  came  regularly  to 
church,  sometimes  offered  prayer  in  a  noticeably 
simple,  sincere  manner  in  the  weekly  prayer- 
meeting.  The  Turks  liked  him,  respected  him, 
did  not  molest  him.  When  I  called  to  see  him 
in  his  last  sickness  to  comfort  him,  he  comforted 
me  with  clear  evidence  of  a  soul  at  peace,  trusting 
in  Christ,  hoping  soon  to  see  Him  face  to  face. 
He  joined  with  me  in  prayer,  uttering  feelingly 
and  fittingly  a  few  short  petitions  of  his  own.  By 
his    life   and   his   reading   to  his  wife  from   the 


1 88        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

Gospels  the  story  of  the  Christ-life,  he  had  led  her 
also  to  faith  in  Him. 

The  day  before  he  died,  a  deacon  of  the  church 
and  another  brother  called  to  see  him.  He  antici- 
pated an  anxious  thought  of  theirs  in  these  words  : 
"  I  believe  in  Christ.  He  is  going  to  fulfill  His 
promise  to  take  my  soul  to  Himself.  You  won't 
be  allowed  to  bury  my  body  if  you  try.  What 
does  it  matter?  I  can  await  the  resurrection  just 
as  well  when  buried  by  Moslem  hands."  His 
life  had  borne  its  clear  testimony  to  his  Chris- 
tian faith,  and  he  had  lived  among  his  own 
people,  self-reliant  and  independent  of  pecuniary 
aid. 

Sunduz. — A  young  Turkish  woman,  then  un- 
married, and  living  in  a  brother's  house,  also  in 
Marsovan,  bore  the  name  of  Sunduz.  She  be- 
came a  Christian  chiefly  through  the  loving 
ministry  and  influence  of  one  of  the  older  sisters 
of  the  church.  She  attended  the  women's  prayer- 
meeting  as  often  as  she  could,  winning  from  all 
very  positive  testimony  to  her  Christian  sincerity 
and  sweetness  of  character. 

She  was  opposed,  reviled,  beaten  by  her  brother, 
but  stood  firm.  At  one  of  the  meetings  she  was 
missing.  The  next  week  she  came  with  one  arm 
in  a  sling.  "  What  is  the  matter  ? "  she  was 
asked.  "  I  am  sorry  you  inquired,"  she  said. 
"  The  last  time  my  brother  beat  me  he  broke 
this  arm." 


Converts  as  Leaven  189 

"  Be  thou  faithful  unto  death  and  I  will  give 
thee  a  crown  of  life."  This  is  the  message  she 
heard,  and  to  it  she  said  Amen. 

Selim. — Selim  Effendi  was  baptized  with  a 
Christian  name  at  Constantinople  more  than 
fifty  years  ago,  with  all  his  large  family.  This 
was  in  the  time  of  comparative  religious  liberty, 
which  continued  for  a  few  years  after  the  close  of 
the  Crimean  War  and  the  Treaty  of  Paris  in 
1856. 

His  case  excited  great  interest  in  New  England. 
A  gift  from  a  friend  of  wealth  was  used  to  erect 
for  him  a  very  comfortable  house,  and  he  was  sup- 
ported as  a  lay  preacher  and  missionary  to  his 
own  people. 

He  gathered  around  him  nearly  a  score  of 
Turks,  who  professed  to  accept  Christianity. 
They  were  also,  to  a  considerable  extent,  sup- 
ported. Under  persecution  the  group  almost 
melted  away.  Their  case  illustrates  the  truth  of 
these  words  in  our  Lord's  parable  of  the  sower, — 
"  He  that  was  sown  upon  the  rocky  places,  this 
is  he  that  heareth  the  word  and  straightway  with 
joy  receiveth  it :  yet  hath  he  not  root  in  himself, 
but  endureth  for  a  while :  and  when  tribulation 
or  persecution  ariseth  because  of  the  word, 
straightway  he  stumbleth." 

Selim  himself  became  disaffected.  Circum- 
stances connected  with  his  latest  years  gave  his 
friends  serious  disquiet.     However  it  was  with 


190        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

him,  the  coddling  he  received  tends  to  make 
hypocrites,  and  that  far  more  in  Oriental  than  in 
Occidental  lands. 

Ferhad} — Another  convert  was  Ferhad,  a  Lieu- 
tenant of  Engineers  in  the  Turkish  army.  He 
was  intelligent,  earnest  and  self-reliant.  Observa- 
tion of  the  Christlike  character  seen  in  mission- 
aries attracted  him  :  study  of  the  New  Testament 
convinced  him.  On  a  trumped-up  charge  he  was 
sentenced  by  court-martial  to  a  year's  imprison- 
ment, but  was  privately  offered  release  at  any 
time  if  he  would  agree  to  give  up  reading  the 
New  Testament. 

At  the  end  of  his  year  of  imprisonment  he 
decided  that  his  position  was  untenable,  resigned 
his  commission,  was  baptized  and  escaped  to  New 
York.  There  he  supported  himself  as  a  machinist 
day-labourer,  during  thirteen  years,  until  his  death 
in  1902. 

In  America  Ferhad  found  conditions  the  very 
opposite  of  everything  he  expected  from  Chris- 
tians. His  fellow  workmen  and  his  employers 
alike  seemed  to  have  for  their  motto, — "  The 
devil  take  the  hindmost."  He  became  embittered 
against  the  missionaries  who  had  been  his  in- 
structors in  Turkey.  He  made  no  new  friends 
among  American  Christians,  since  he  did  not 
succeed  in  learning  English  enough  to  understand 
or  make  himself  understood  by  them.  He  went 
'Communicated  by  Rev.  Dr.  H.  O.  Dwight. 


Converts  as  Leaven  191 

to  church  on  Sunday,  but  would  not  join  any- 
church,  because  he  said  he  could  not  understand 
the  sermon,  and  also  because  the  people  hated 
the  Turks  so  much  that  he  would  not  let  them 
have  occasion  to  boast  of  the  acquisition  of  a 
Turkish  convert. 

Happily  he  had  been  soundly  converted.  He 
refused  repeated  offers  from  the  Turkish  govern- 
ment of  rank  and  pay,  if  he  would  return  to  Con- 
stantinople. It  was  always  a  temptation  to  him 
to  return  in  order  to  see  his  old  mother.  Aside 
from  his  love  for  her,  he  said  nothing  would  ever 
lead  him  to  go  back  to  the  sink  of  corruption 
from  which  he  had  escaped.  So  he  became  an 
American  citizen  and  lived  by  himself  in  the 
great  multitude  of  strangers.  He  told  one  of  his 
missionary  friends  from  Constantinople,  who  saw 
a  good  deal  of  him  during  the  last  year  of  his 
life,  that  he  was  ever  thanking  God  for  constant 
care  over  him,  and  was  just  as  much  a  Christian 
as  at  his  conversion,  only  more  so.  He  lived  a 
pure,  unselfish  life,  known  by  all  waifs  from 
Turkey  stranded  on  our  wreck-strewn  shores  as 
a  sure  and  trusty  friend  in  need.  When  he  died, 
alone  in  Bellevue  Hospital,  it  was  a  Greek  from 
Crete  who  provided  money  for  the  funeral  be- 
cause Ferhad  had  done  so  much  to  find  work  for 
him  in  New  York  years  before. 

Of  what  unmeasured  value  that  life  and  that 
testimony  might  have  been  could  it  have  been 


192         Christian  and  Mohammedan 

thrown  into  the  mass  of  Mohammedan  humanity 
of  which  he  was  a  part ! 

Ahmed  and  Fatima. — A  few  days  after  I  ar- 
rived at  Constantinople,  December,  1859,  I  was 
introduced  to  a  middle-aged  man  called  Ahmed, 
who  had  just  fled  from  his  home  in  Caesarea. 
He  was  accompanied  by  his  wife,  Fatima,  a  fair 
woman  much  younger  than  himself  and  by  their 
three  little  daughters. 

Ahmed  and  Fatima  had  together,  in  their  own 
home,  diligently  read  and  studied  the  New  Testa- 
ment, guided  as  well  by  God's  enlightening  spirit 
as  by  human  instrumentality.  As  they  studied 
they  were  convinced  that  they  had  found  the 
truth,  and  they  accepted  Christ  as  their  Saviour. 
They  confessed  their  new  faith.  T,hey  knew 
what  this  would  mean  to  them.  This  was  during 
the  period,  between  1856  and  1864,  when,  more 
than  before  or  since,  it  was  possible  for  a  Mo- 
hammedan in  Turkey  to  become  a  Christian. 
But  this  new  Christian  Turkish  family  could  not 
stay  in  Caesarea.  Ahmed  sold  his  property  at  a 
loss,  and  came  to  Constantinople.  Here  he  was 
able  to  support  himself  and  family  in  a  very 
modest  way,  and  parents  and  children  grew  in 
Christian  knowledge  and  experience.  Except  in 
1864  when  Ahmed  was  arrested  and  for  some 
months  exiled  to  Smyrna,  these  Christian  Turks 
lived  unmolested,  witnessing  everywhere  "  a  good 
confession."     He  was  a  sort  of  unpaid  evangelist. 


Converts  as  Leaven  193 

After  his  death  in  1879  till  her  own  death  in 
1906  Fatima  was,  the  greater  part  of  the  time, 
employed,  on  a  small  stipend,  as  Bible  woman, 
and  greatly  endeared  herself  to  those  missionary 
sisters  to  whom  she  regularly  gave  account  of 
her  work. 

Hassan.1 — The  case  of  Hassan  of  Pakovich  is 
a  marked  instance  of  persecution  lived  down. 
He  was  converted  about  1887  and  was  perse- 
cuted severely  through  five  or  six  years.  The 
Turks  did  not  quite  dare  to  kill  him,  but  once  at 
least  they  arranged  for  a  Kurd  to  kill  him  on  the 
road  from  one  prison  to  another,  but  the  rascal 
lost  his  daring.  Hassan  was  outspoken  in  his 
testimony.  Once  a  Kaimakam  asked  him  why 
he  abandoned  his  faith  in  Mohammed.  "  Is  not 
the  Injil  true  ? "  asked  Hassan.  "  Certainly," 
replied  the  governor.  "  Well,  in  the  Injil  our 
Lord  Jesus  says, '  Come  unto  Me.'  So  I  came 
and  that  is  all  there  is  to  it.  I  obeyed,  I  came 
and  I  stay." 

The  governor  spluttered  in  a  confused  way, 
but  was  finally  understood  to  say,  "  Thrust  him 
into  the  black  prison,"  and  the  officer  dragged 
Hassan  away. 

The  last  years  of  Hassan's  life  were  spent  in 
peace,  for  the  Turks  did  not  know  what  to  do 
with  him.  When  he  died  in  1898,  by  order  of 
the  governor,  the  Turks  prepared  his  body  for 

1  Communicated  by  Dr.  H.  O.  Dwight. 


194        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

burial,  and  carried  it  the  first  half  of  the  way  to 
the  grave,  since  the  first  part  of  his  life  was 
Mohammedan.  There  the  Protestants  met  the 
procession,  carried  the  bier  to  their  cemetery  and 
held  the  burial  service  over  the  grave. 

Keifee. — In  October,  1873,  a  tall  native  gentle- 
man appeared  at  my  room  at  the  Bible  House, 
Constantinople,  bringing  a  note  from  a  mission- 
ary in  Eastern  Turkey  commending  the  bearer 
as  a  convert  from  Islam  who  had  been  obliged 
to  flee  from  Mosul  to  Mardin  and  who  could  not 
longer  remain  there  in  safety.  He  was  named 
Keifee  Effendi.  He  belonged  to  the  Kurdish 
tribe  of  Jaf,  one  of  a  group  of  nomad  tribes,  liv- 
ing in  summer  in  the  mountains  on  the  frontier 
of  Persia  and  in  winter  on  the  plains  of  Mesopo- 
tamia. He  was  then  twenty-seven  years  old.  I 
was  in  need  of  a  Turkish  scribe  and  he  was  glad 
to  do  the  work.  I  soon  found  that  my  man  was 
far  more  than  a  scribe,  that  he  was  in  fact  a  liter- 
ary critic  of  a  high  order.  From  that  hour  began 
an  acquaintance  which  grew  into  intimate  Chris- 
tian friendship,  and  is  cherished  as  one  of  life's 
precious  treasures.  A  more  perfect  gentleman 
of  any  race  it  was  never  my  privilege  to  meet. 

On  one  of  the  occasions  when  he  was  our 
guest,  my  wife  drew  from  him  some  account  of 
his  early  life  and  of  how  he  became  a  Christian. 

In  a  tribe  neighbour  to  his  own  lived  a  learned 
Persian  fire  worshipper  who  conducted  a  peri- 


Converts  as  Leaven  1 95 

patetic  college.  Keifee,  while  a  lad,  was  one  of 
a  group  of  youths  coming  from  several  tribes  to 
study  at  the  feet  of  this  Gamaliel.  Their  studies 
were  the  Arabic  language,  the  Koran,  Mussulman 
history,  philosophy,  theology  and  tradition.  As 
to  college  equipment  it  well  illustrated  Garfield's 
ideal,  himself  as  pupil  sitting  on  one  end  of  a  log 
and  Mark  Hopkins,  teacher,  on  the  other  end. 
Keifee  did  not  go  to  college  encumbered  by  much 
baggage.  His  total  equipment  was  one  long, 
thick  cotton  shirt,  reaching  from  neck  to  heels. 
When  this  became  soiled  he  resorted  to  the  bank 
of  a  mountain  stream,  washed  it,  hung  it  on 
a  bush,  and  remained  in  the  water  till  it  was 
dry.  His  bed  was  mother  earth.  His  food  was 
the  bread  the  village  women  made  and  gave 
him,  with  a  cucumber  in  its  season.  He  spent 
the  greater  part  of  several  years  in  these 
studies,  and  obtained  a  proficiency  in  them  which 
stood  him  in  good  stead  in  later  years.  He  be- 
came a  Hafiz,  that  is  committed  to  memory  the 
whole  Koran.  For  several  years  he  was  a 
teacher  in  the  city  of  Mosul.  When  he  was 
twenty-four  years  old,  as  he  was  one  day  walking 
in  the  country  his  attention  was  attracted  by 
something  thrown  down  the  bank  of  a  stream 
lodged  on  a  stone  just  above  the  water's  edge. 
It  proved  to  be  the  binding  of  a  large  book.  On 
the  back  he  read  "  El  Kitab  el  Mukaddes,"  Holy 
Bible.     His   curiosity   was   excited.     Returning 


196        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

to  the  city,  he  hunted  through  the  market  till  he 
found  the  shop  where  Bibles  were  sold.  He 
bought  an  Arabic  Bible,  read  it  with  avidity,  and 
was  greatly  assisted  in  his  Biblical  studies  by 
Deacon  Micha  of  the  Mosul  Evangelical  Church. 
Keifee  said  of  the  deacon  that  he  was  impressed 
by  his  pure  life  so  that  "  What  that  man  taught 
me  I  had  to  believe."  He  was  convinced  that 
that  book  contained  God's  revelation  of  His  will 
and  of  the  way  of  salvation.  He  trusted  in 
Christ  alone  from  that  day  onward.  When  he 
returned  to  his  tribe,  he  often  talked  with  his 
intimate  friend  concerning  his  new  faith,  and 
they  read  the  Bible  together.  His  friend's  sister 
often  listened  to  this  conversation  and  reading 
from  behind  a  curtain  of  the  tent  and  she  too 
believed  in  Christ.  The  two  young  persons 
became  betrothed.  The  father  of  the  young  lady 
was  to  give  Keifee  two  villages  as  his  daughter's 
dower.  Soon,  however,  the  people  became  in- 
censed against  Keifee  for  his  change  of  religion 
and  he  had  to  flee  first  to  Mardin  and  thence  to 
Constantinople. 

This,  in  brief,  was  his  story  as  he  gave  it  to  us 
at  our  own  fireside. 

At  the  beginning  of  1874  he  became  a  member, 
and  with  the  exception  of  Pastor  Constantian,  the 
most  valuable  native  member  of  our  committee 
of  revision  of  the  Turkish  Scriptures.  His  rare 
mastery  of  the  Arabic  language  and  literature, 


Converts  as  Leaven  197 

and  his  hearty  sympathy  with  our  work,  his 
unfailing  tact  and  courtesy  endeared  him  to  us 
all  officially  and  personally. 

Once  he  was  called  before  the  court  of  the 
Sheikh-ul-Islam  and  questioned  concerning  his 
relation  to  Christians.  Those  learned  men 
were  so  astonished  at  his  facile  mastery,  exceed- 
ing their  own,  of  the  Koran,  the  traditions  and 
the  commentaries  of  their  faith  that  they  were 
glad  to  let  him  go  free  and  never  again  molested 
him. 

During  the  years  when  Keifee  was  assisting 
us  in  Bible  translation — I  think  it  was  in  March, 
1876 — I  learned  that  he  was  ill,  and  went  to  his 
room.  He  met  me  very  cordially  and  said, "  I 
have  had  a  letter  and  a  dream.  The  letter  is  the 
final  answer  of  my  to-be  father-in-law.  He  will 
never  give  me  his  daughter  till  I  abandon  my 
new  religion  and  return  to  my  home  a  Mussulman. 
The  dream  is  this  :  I  thought  the  great  toe  of  my 
right  foot  had  developed  gangrene  and  must  be 
cut  off.  The  interpretation  of  my  dream  is  that 
my  fiancee  and  I  cannot  marry." 

It  was  nearly  a  year  later,  in  January  of  1877, 
that  the  Russian  armies  were  pressing  hard  upon 
Constantinople.  Every  morning  train  came  in 
loaded  with  Mussulman  refugees.  The  weather 
was  very  cold.  Many  died  chilled  to  death  on 
the  train  or  on  arrival  at  Yedi  Kule.  Keifee  was 
then  living  in  a  little  house  of  three  rooms  with  a 


1 98        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

friend  whose  aged  mother  was  their  housekeeper. 
Keifee  went  out  to  Yedi  Kule  every  morning, 
and  did  what  he  could  to  direct  and  help  the 
suffering  people.  He  began  to  bring  home  with 
him  some  who  were  alone  and  helpless,  and 
kept  this  up  till  he  had  twenty-one  guests  in  the 
little  house.  At  night  there  were  not  many 
inches  of  floor  space  unoccupied  by  some 
sleeper. 

One  evening  late,  there  was  a  persistent  rap- 
ping at  the  door.  The  mother  went  to  the  door. 
Keifee  listened.  "  For  the  love  of  God  let  us 
come  in  just  for  the  night."  The  old  lady  told  the 
tearful  pleaders  that  there  was  no  more  room  in 
the  house.  The  pleading  became  more  piteous. 
"  What  shall  we  do  ?  Where  shall  we  go  ? 
They  told  us  you  would  receive  us  here." 
Keifee  came  to  the  door.  A  mother  and  her 
daughter  were  pleading  for  shelter.  "  Let  them 
in,  mother,"  he  said.  "  I  will  go  and  find  lodg- 
ings somewhere."  They  were  admitted.  They 
were  not  poor.  The  woman  carried,  fastened 
around  her  waist,  a  considerable  sum  in  gold. 
The  fair  girl  by  her  side  in  due  time  became 
Keifee's  wife,  a  charming  bride,  whom,  with  her 
husband,  we  later  entertained  in  our  home. 

My  acquaintance  with  Keifee  extended  from 
October,  1873,  till  June,  1878,  when  I  left  Con- 
stantinople for  a  year's  furlough  in  America. 
Before  my  return  the  following  year,  his  earthly 


Converts  as  Leaven  199 

life  had  closed,  prematurely  as  it  seemed  to  us, 
at  the  age  of  thirty-three. 

Keifee  Effendi  was  never  baptized,  to  our 
deep  regret,  and  the  fault  was  wholly  our  own. 
He  desired  baptism,  was  ready  to  confess  his 
faith.  But  while  we  were  slowly  canvassing 
which  of  the  existing  church  organizations  he 
would  better  join,  he  was  taken  to  join  the 
general  assembly  and  Church  of  the  first  born,  a 
ripe  Christian,  "  sweet  first  fruits,"  presented  to 
the  Redeemer  of  souls  from  Oriental  as  from 
Occidental  races. 

The  following  addition  to  the  sketch  of  Keifee 
Effendi  is  furnished  by  Rev.  Dr.  H.  O.  Dwight, 
who  was  intimately  associated  with  him  during 
the  last  year  of  his  life. 

"  The  day  before  he  died  of  pneumonia,  Keifee 
said  to  the  missionary  sitting  by  his  bedside, '  I 
believe  on  Jesus  Christ  and  all  my  trust  is  in 
Him.  I  want  my  two  boys  saved  from  being 
brought  up  as  Mohammedans.'  Then  he  asked 
his  wife  to  see  to  it  that  the  boys  were  placed  in 
a  missionary  school  when  old  enough  to  leave 
her. 

"  Both  of  the  boys  died  before  the  mother  felt 
that  she  could  let  them  go  away  from  her.  But 
on  a  considerable  family  circle  of  Mohammedans 
Keifee's  noble  Christian  qualities  seemed  to  exer- 
cise a  noteworthy  influence.  The  common  blind 
prejudice   was    to    some   extent   broken   down. 


200        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

During  sixteen  years  after  Keifee's  death,  the 
widow,  her  mother,  a  stern  old  Mohammedan 
woman  of  the  Lofcha  aristocracy,  her  elder 
sister,  her  brother,  who  later  became  a  surgeon 
in  the  Turkish  army,  remained  in  cordial  rela- 
tions with  their  missionary  friend. 

"  When  at  last  the  widow  married  again,  her 
second  husband,  a  prominent  officer  in  the  Turk- 
ish army,  came  to  the  missionary  to  thank  him 
for  taking  care  of  his  wife's  little  hoard  of  money, 
and  in  violation  of  Mohammedan  social  customs, 
assured  him  that  whenever  he  should  call  at  their 
house  he  could  freely  see  and  speak  with  his 
wife. 

"  The  younger  of  Keifee's  sons  died  in  early 
childhood.  The  older  boy  always  called  his 
missionary  friend  '  Uncle,'  and  treated  him  as  a 
relative,  running  to  him  to  tell  of  his  triumphs 
at  school,  to  talk  over  his  future  and  perhaps  to 
learn  new  ideas  of  right,  truth  and  godliness. 

"  When  this  bright  boy  of  fifteen  lay  dying, 
surely  an  echo  of  his  father's  faith  vaguely 
sounded  in  his  last  words  to  his  mother  :  «  Don't 
cry,  mother,  because  I  am  going.  If  I  should 
live  to  grow  up,  perhaps  I  might  do  some  great 
wickedness.  Though  I  leave  you,  you  do  not 
lose  me,  for  some  day  you  will  come  too.'  " 

A  life  like  Keifee's,  spent  among  his  own 
people,  not  only  has  influence  in  stimulating 
kindly  feelings  towards  Christians.     It  is  actually 


Converts  as  Leaven  201 

a  leaven.  If  it  does  no  more,  it  does  a  great 
thing  in  extending  the  moral  horizon  of  many. 

All  of  those  of  whom  mention  has  been  made 
above  have  departed  this  life.  One  convert  from 
Islam  to  Christianity,  known  to  the  writer, 
should  be  specifically  mentioned.  Rev.  Ho- 
hannes  Avederanian,  whose  original  name  was 
Shukri,  was  a  native  of  a  village  near  Erzroum. 
He  became  a  Christian  nearly  twenty-five  years 
ago,  chiefly  through  the  study  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment. He  boldly  confessed  his  new  faith,  was 
obliged  to  flee  from  his  home,  was  baptized  at 
Tiflis,  studied  in  Sweden,  was  for  five  years  a 
missionary  in  Kashgar,  where  he  translated  the 
New  Testament  into  the  vernacular  of  the 
people.  He  has  laboured  as  missionary  of  the 
Dutch  Orient  Mission,  under  Dr.  Lepsius'  direc- 
tion, since  1900,  working  in  Bulgaria  for  Mo- 
hammedans, preaching  and  publishing  books, 
notably  an  excellent  translation  into  Turkish  of 
"  Pilgrim's  Progress,"  also  a  monthy  periodical 
and  later  a  weekly  paper.  He  is  now  in  Potsdam, 
Germany. 

The  cases  that  have  been  mentioned  except 
that  of  Hassan  have  been  selected  out  of  the 
number  known  to  the  writer  through  long 
personal  acquaintance.  These  have  been  se- 
lected with  the  specific  object  of  illustrating  in 
various  ways,  as  seen  in  the  narratives,  the  prin- 
ciple enunciated  and  emphasized  in  this  chapter. 


202        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

The  deeply  interesting  biography  of  Kamil, 
prepared  by  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  H.  H.  Jessup,  and 
the  many  inspiring  and  instructive  narratives 
given  to  the  Christian  public  of  Indian  converts 
from  Islam,  all  and  alike,  it  is  believed,  illustrate 
the  principle,  which  has  the  quality  of  an  axiom, 
that  converts  from  Islam  should,  if  possible, 
remain  as  leaven  among  their  own  people. 


XIV 

THE  MISSIONARY'S  CREED 

^"~lj    "^HE  missionary  to  Mohammedans  must 
have  a  creed.     He  must  be  a  believer 


I 


not  a  doubter.     He  must  know  what  he 
believes  and  why  he  believes  it. 

Specifically  as  was  shown  in  Chapter  I  the 
chasm  that  separates  Christian  from  Moham- 
medan does  not  consist  in  irreconcilable  theolog- 
ical differences.  They  stand,  if  not  on  identical, 
yet  on  similar  ground.  They  can  even  frater- 
nize. 

"  Ehli-Kitab,"  possessor  of  a  book,  is  a  term 
of  respect,  even  of  fellowship  which  Moham- 
medans accord  to  both  Jew  and  Christian.  The 
profound  respect  which  they  pay  to  that  which 
they  accept  as  a  communication  of  God  to  men 
furnishes  a  very  practical  bond  of  sympathy 
between  Christian  and  Mohammedan. 

This  common  ground  should  be  firmly  main- 
tained throughout  those  discussions  which  will 
necessarily  reveal  the  important  differences  that 
will  emerge  when  we  undertake  to  state  clearly 
what  we  mean  by  divine  revelation  and  inspira- 
tion. 

203 


204        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

Specifically,  then,  the  missionary  must  hold  a 
clearly  defined  doctrine  concerning  divine  revela- 
tion and  inspiration  which  does  not  repel  an 
Oriental  mind. 

This  does  not  mean  that  he  must  be  a  "  tradi- 
tionalist," pure  and  simple,  or  wage  a  polemic 
with  "  Higher  Criticism."  He  may  be,  ought  to 
be,  a  reverent  higher  critic  in  the  best  sense  of 
that  much  abused  term. 

But  from  the  start,  and  before  he  starts  on  his 
mission,  he  must  take  into  account  with  whom 
he  is  to  deal  in  the  matter  of  the  whole  impor- 
tant doctrine  which  concerns  man's  relation  to 
any  communication  from  God. 

Mohammedans  hold  a  mechanical  doctrine  of 
inspiration.  The  words  of  the  revelation  are 
written  in  heaven  on  the  Preserved  Tablet  and 
from  time  to  time  were  handed  down  to  Moham- 
med by  the  hand  of  the  archangel  Gabriel. 
Every  letter  has  a  divine  meaning.  An  enthu- 
siast once  said  to  the  writer,  "  Every  letter  has 
sixty — yes,  sixty  thousand  meanings."  Even 
such  puerile  nonsense  must  be  handled  tactfully, 
not  treated  offhand  with  contempt  and  scorn. 
If  there  is  one  thing  in  respect  of  religion  that  a 
Mohammedan  is  more  sure  of  than  anything  else 
it  is  that  God  has  made  a  revelation  of  His  will 
to  men  in  written  form  ;  and  that  the  very  form 
is  sacred.  This  means  that  a  revelation  from 
God  admits  of  no  comparison  with  any  human 


The  Missionary's  Creed  205 

writing.  It  will  surprise  some  of  our  readers, 
probably,  to  be  told  that  Mohammedans  reverence 
our  Bible  as  a  book,  more  than  many  Christians  do. 
It  is  sacrilege  to  put  to  base  use  even  the  paper 
on  which  words  of  the  Old  or  New  Testament 
have  been  printed,  or  to  destroy  it.  The  han- 
dling of  the  Bible  by  critics  who  rule  out  reverence, 
deny  the  supernatural,  and  treat  the  Book  like 
any  other  relic  of  ancient  literature  is  not  only 
opposed  to  Mussulman  tradition  and  conviction  : 
it  is  abhorrent  and  utterly  repellent  to  the  Ori- 
ental mind. 

Any  missionary  who  holds  the  positions  or 
makes  the  assumptions  of  the  advanced  German 
school,  which  treats  all  religions  as  evolutions 
out  of  man's  religious  nature,  ruling  out  any 
supernatural  element  in  the  origin  of  the  religion 
of  Israel,  or  doubts  the  personal  existence  of 
Moses  or  of  Abraham  would  find  his  position 
untenable  among  Mohammedans.  So  far  from 
conferring  any  boon  upon  them,  he  will  utterly 
repel  them,  or  land  them  in  a  complete  rejection 
of  all  divine  revelation  and  of  all  religion. 

We  repeat  that  we  are  waging  no  war  against 
reverent,  scholarly  treatment  of  the  Bible,  against 
accepting,  in  humility  and  fidelity  to  truth,  what 
is  proven.  What  we  plead  for  is  that  a  mission- 
ary to  Mohammedans  must  hold  to  a  Bible 
which,  in  a  true  and  defensible  sense,  contains  a 
revelation  from  God,  a  Book  differing  in  kind  of 


206        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

inspiration  from  the  best  things  in  human,  in 
national  literature,  ancient  or  modern. 

Great  changes  have  taken  place  in  the  Chris- 
tian world  in  respect  of  our  grasp  of  the  doctrine 
of  revelation  and  of  inspiration,  and  further 
changes  are  possible  and  even  probable. 

But  in  the  meantime  let  us  not  only  hold  and 
keep  that  which  has  been  accepted  and  established, 
and  avoid  illogical  assumptions,  but  be  sure  that 
our  own  method  of  holding  and  teaching  the 
Biblical  record  is  adapted  to  those  whom  we 
undertake  to  guide  in  their  search  after  God  and 
life  eternal. 

It  is  of  supreme  importance  that  missionaries 
to  Mussulman  lands  should  settle,  once  for  all, 
what  they  will  hold  and  stand  by  on  these  great 
subjects,  that  they  occupy  ground  that  will  hold 
them  when  they  present  the  Bible  to  Mohammed- 
ans as  containing  God's  all-sufficient  written  word 
concerning  salvation  and  eternal  life. 

The  missionary's  great  message  is,  indeed,  to 
proclaim  Christ  Himself,  but  he  must  trust  to 
that  Book  whose  very  purpose — shall  we  not  say 
sole  purpose  ? — is  to  testify  of  Christ,  to  hold  that 
wonderful  Person  before  Mussulman  eyes.  Theo- 
logical discussion  will  be  barren  of  good  results. 
But  a  loving  and  confident  presentation  of  Christ 
Himself  just  as  the  Gospels  reveal  Him  to  us  is 
ever  effective  beyond  all  argument. 

This  is  not  the  place  to  discuss,  on  its  merits, 


The  Missionary's  Creed  207 

the  question  which  has  recently  come  much 
under  consideration  in  Christendom,  viz.,  that 
of  the  Virgin  Birth  of  Jesus  the  Christ.  It 
would,  however,  seem  to  be  the  place  to  remark : 
1.  That  the  Virgin  Birth  is  universally  accepted  as 
a  fact  by  Mohammedans.  2.  That  for  them,  at 
least,  the  arguments  against  the  Virgin  Birth,  if 
accepted,  will  certainly  hold,  to  the  extent  of  rul- 
ing out  the  acceptance  of  any  form  of  "  written 
revelation."  3.  The  acceptance  of  the  postu- 
lates on  which  the  denial  of  the  Virgin  Birth  is 
based  will  lead  any  Mussulman  to  reject  the 
claim  of  any  Book  to  be  or  to  contain  a  com- 
munication of  God  to  men.  For  him  the  path  he 
has  then  entered  on  leads  rapidly  to  atheism,  or 
at  best  to  pure  deism. 

For  a  Christian  of  the  West  to  be  a  herald  of 
such  an  "  Evangel " !  Is  it  a  service  that  any 
reader  of  these  lines  would  wish  to  render  to  his 
Mohammedan  brother  ? 

As  will  be  seen  from  what  follows  there  exists 
a  consensus  of  opinion  on  this  subject  among 
missionaries  of  experience  in  Mussulman  coun- 
tries. 

"  Mohammedans  of  my  acquaintance  know 
nothing  of  Biblical  criticism.  But  modern 
methods  of  religious  scholarship  are  utterly 
repugnant  to  them.  They  believe  in  a  verbal 
theory  of  inspiration  and  have  no  room  for  any 
conception  which  would  discredit  it." — G.  E.  W. 


208        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

"  The  effect  of  modern  methods  of  criticism 
varies  with  different  scholars.  I.  There  are 
those  who  wish  to  apply  the  same  forms  of 
criticism  to  the  Koran.  2.  There  are  those  who 
regard  it  as  evidence  in  favour  of  the  Koranic 
contention  that  the  Christian  books  are  spurious 
or  at  least  mutilated.  3.  There  are  those  whom 
it  merely  shocks." — D.  S.  M. 

"  The  effect  is  bad.  They  use  modern  methods 
of  Biblical  criticism  against  Christianity  and 
Christians." — J.  A. 

"  When  modern  Biblical  scholarship  takes  the 
form  of  destructive  criticism  it  confirms  the  Mus- 
sulman in  his  claim  that  the  Christian  Scriptures 
are  corrupted." — Pres.  Alexander. 

"  The  influence  of  modern  methods  of  criticism 
is  bad,  for  beyond  doubt  they  know  more  about 
the  criticism  than  they  do  about  the  Bible." — 
W.  A.  F. 

"  I  have  seen  nothing  to  indicate  the  knowl- 
edge of  modern  Biblical  scholarship.  That  some 
Mohammedans  have  an  intelligent  acquaintance 
with  the  Bible  is  evident.  In  a  Papist  district 
of  our  field  is  a  Mullah,  who  is  an  earnest  reader 
of  the  New  Testament,  and  who  has  suffered 
persecution  in  consequence,  although  he  pro- 
tested that  he  was  still  a  true  Mussulman.  A 
few  years  ago,  in  conversation  with  one  of  our 
preachers,  he  said,  '  Peter,  as  the  Catholics  say, 
may  have  been  a  Papist.     However  that  may  be 


The  Missionary's  Creed  209 

it  is  evident  that  Paul  was  a  Protestant.'" — 
E.  M.  McD. 

"  Nothing  is  known  of  modern  Biblical  scholar- 
ship. On  principle,  however,  I  try  to  prevent 
the  impression  that  we  look  at  the  Bible  in  the 
same  light  as  the  Mohammedans  look  at  the 
Koran."— W.  A.  S. 

"  Modern  criticism  confirms  Mohammedans  in 
their  view  that  we  have  no  inspired  gospel,  but 
only  a  tradition." — E.  M.  W. 

"  With  the  ignorant  Mohammedan  the  effect 
of  modern  criticism  is  a  boast  that  Christian 
teachers  have  overthrown  Christianity  and  given 
it  up.  The  thoughtful  Mohammedan  is  perhaps 
more  ready  to  read  the  book,  and  as  he  reads  he 
sees  that  wherever  the  book  came  from  it  is  a 
unique  book." — T.  B. 

"  So  far  as  Biblical  destructive  criticism  is 
known  to  Mohammedans,  it  is  held  to  be  com- 
plete evidence  of  the  justice  of  their  claim  that 
the  Bible  has  been  falsified."— H.  O.  D. 

"  They,  especially  the  Quadiani  sect,  use  it  as 
a  weapon  to  attack  Christianity,  without  con- 
sidering the  bearing  of  its  principles  upon  Islam. 
The  more  advanced  and  thoughtful  regard  it  as 
bringing  both  nearer  to  the  level  of  a  common 
deism  "— H.  U.  W. 

"  Modern  Biblical  scholarship  has  not  produced 
much  effect  upon  the  minds  of  the  masses,  as 
they   believe   in   the   verbal   inspiration  of    the 


210        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

Koran  and  think  that  abrogation  and  interpola- 
tion have  affected  the  Bible,  and  in  this  they  are 
confirmed  by  Christian  critics.  But  there  is  a 
class  of  modern  enlightened  men  who  are  in- 
clined to  try  and  apply  the  same  methods  to  the 
Koran  and  purge  out  from  it  all  such  passages 
as  cast  reflection  upon  the  life  of  Mohammed 
and  some  of  the  social  principles  of  Islam  such 
as  divorce,  polygamy,  etc.  But  this  class  has 
little  influence,  as  its  members  are  limited." — 
A.  S. 

"  The  effect  produced  upon  Mohammedans  by 
modern  Biblical  scholarship  is  unfavourable  if 
not  disastrous.  Mohammedans  believe  in  the 
verbal  inspiration  of  the  Koran,  and  any  criticism 
of  the  Bible  by  Christians  is  misunderstood  and 
misinterpreted  by  them.  They  are  led  to  think 
that  Christians  criticizing  their  Bible  disbelieve 
their  own  religion.  Let  me  give  you  an  instance. 
When  the  tentative  version  of  the  revised  Malayan 
New  Testament  was  issued  a  foot-note  was  added 
to  certain  texts  to  the  effect  that  these  texts  were 
missing  in  some  Greek  manuscripts.  The 
Mohammedans  soon  detected  this  and  used  it 
in  their  controversies  with  missionaries  and 
catechists  as  a  weapon  against  the  validity  of 
the  Christian  Veda !  "— W.  B. 


XV 
THE  VISION  OF  THE  FUTURE 

THE  preceding  pages  will  have  been 
read  in  vain  if  the  result  be  not  to 
deepen  the  reader's  sympathy  with 
peoples  whose  very  religion,  elevated  as  it  is 
in  respect  of  theological  doctrine,  has  yet  held 
its  devotees  by  bonds  as  of  steel  to  a  system  and 
a  cult,  which  on  its  ethical  side,  especially  under 
the  spell  of  its  most  illustrious  example,  makes 
well-nigh  impossible  the  dominion  of  the  spirit 
over  the  flesh. 

The  deeper  the  pit  into  which  our  brother  has 
fallen,  and  the  longer  he  has  remained  there,  the 
more  urgent  the  call  for  us  to  run  to  his  rescue, 
the  more  patient  and  persistent  should  be  our 
efforts. 

Perchance  he  has  found  the  pit  wide  and  com- 
fortable, and  his  companions  very  many.  More- 
over he  deems  it  a  task  to  climb  out  of  the  pit 
and  reach  full  life  and  the  upper  air.  Is  our 
yearning  then  lessened  to  lift  him  out  and  help 
him  to  enjoy  pure  air  and  bright  sunshine? 
Certainly  that  was  not  the  case  with  our  Father, 
with  our  Elder  Brother,  when,  in  the  councils  of 

211 


2 1 2        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

past  eternity,  a  plan  was  put  in  execution  for 
saving  the  human  race  from  the  bondage  of  sin 
and  lifting  human  souls  into  communion  with 
God,  through  a  divine  sacrifice  immeasurably 
great,  through  Love,  the  Supreme  Regnant  Force 
in  the  whole  moral  universe  of  God. 

The  "  evangelization  of  the  world  in  this 
generation  "  may  be  a  grand  reveille.  To  carry 
our  arrow  to  yonder  hilltop  we  may  take  our 
aim  at  yon  bright  star.  But  the  work  we  have 
to  do,  the  work  which,  please  God,  we  will  do,  is 
Christianization  rather  than  evangelization,  and 
it  will  not  be  finished  in  this  generation  or  the 
next  or  the  next.  To  proclaim  the  gospel  mes- 
sage in  ears  wholly  unprepared  to  take  it  in  may 
sometimes  do  more  harm  than  good.  You  have 
spoken  "  good  words,"  you  have  scattered  good 
seed.  But  upon  human  ears  your  message  has 
impinged  in  the  form  of  a  hateful  challenge. 
Your  good  seed  has  fallen  on  bare  rock.  You 
have  thrown  a  line  intended  to  rescue  a  drown- 
ing man.  He  thought  you  meant  to  strangle 
him  with  the  cord.  You  and  this  brother  of 
yours  live  in  different  worlds.  You  must  find 
out  where  he  is,  and  go  there,  in  patient,  loving 
sympathy. 

It  may  take  a  generation,  it  will  take  more 
than  one  generation  to  convince  Mussulman 
peoples  that  Christians  have  any  religious  boon 
to  confer  upon  them.     Shall  we  then  hold  back  ? 


The  Vision  of  the  Future  213 

For  shame !  When  Anglo-Saxons  pursue 
schemes  for  pecuniary  gain,  for  commerical 
expansion,  even  for  reaching  the  North  Pole, 
they  do  not  stop  because  their  enterprise  will  be 
difficult,  will  take  years  of  time,  will  involve  vast 
expense  of  money  and  even  of  human  life. 

Trace  the  history  of  the  Panama  Canal. 
That  is  a  small  affair  compared  with  the  turning 
back  to  God  of  a  world  that  has  wandered  and 
lost  its  way. 

The  heroic  effort  of  De  Lesseps  to  connect  the 
great  oceans,  begun  in  1881,  ended  in  dismal 
failure.  Vast  sums  of  money  were  spent.  Thou- 
sands of  lives  were  sacrificed  in  that  deadly 
climate.  De  Lesseps  himself  died  broken- 
hearted over  the  failure  of  his  great  scheme. 
Was  that  the  end  ?  No,  a  path  must  be  opened 
for  the  world's  commerce  and  the  world's  navies 
from  ocean  to  ocean.  The  work  is  again  taken 
in  hand. 

But  the  climate  of  the  isthmus  was  so  malarious 
that  men  died  there  like  flies.  Men  will  not  stay 
there.  Very  well,  we  will  make  the  climate 
salubrious.  At  any  cost, — hundreds  of  millions 
of  dollars, — no  matter,  the  work  shall  be  done. 
So  declare  the  determined  leaders  of  the  world's 
most  enterprising  people.  Years  pass.  Inter- 
national complications  intervene.  But  the  work 
is  pressed  forward  against  all  obstacles,  and  soon 
the  world's  great  merchant  fleets  and  armoured 


214        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

vessels  will  move  from  sea  to  sea  as  on  a  con- 
necting river. 

A  quarter  of  a  century  ago  a  meeting  of 
missionaries  in  Turkey  was  depressed  by  the 
magnitude  and  difficulties  of  the  work  in  hand, 
and  the  slow  progress  it  appeared  to  be  making. 
Then  the  late  Dr.  E.  E.  Bliss  rose  and  said : 
"  Years  ago  I  was,  with  my  family,  making  the 
journey  on  horseback  from  Tocat  to  Sivas.  It 
was  the  last  day  of  the  journey  and  the  afternoon 
of  Saturday.  We  were  all  weary  with  the  rough 
roads,  the  heat,  the  sleepless  nights  in  the  khans. 
From  the  crest  of  a  hill  we  caught  sight  of  the 
city  of  Sivas  in  the  distance  and  took  courage. 
We  descended  into  a  valley;  we  ascended  an- 
other hill,  but  we  saw  no  city,  only  a  scattered 
village  or  two  on  the  hillside.  We  descended 
into  another  valley  and  rose  to  the  top  of  another 
hill,  but  saw  no  human  habitation.  The  sun  had 
now  declined  far  towards  the  west.  Well-nigh 
exhausted,  wondering  if  we  had  lost  our  way,  we 
pressed  on  and  reached  another  hilltop  just  as 
the  sun  set ;  when  lo !  there  is  the  city  not  half 
an  hour  away,  and  the  shouts  of  friends  coming 
up  the  slope  to  meet  us  greeted  our  ears.  Let 
us  work  on  under  such  conditions  as  God's  provi- 
dence has  imposed  upon  us,  assured  of  reaching 
our  goal  in  due  time,  however  great  may  be  the 
length  and  difficulties  of  the  way." 

The  leading  and  controlling  purpose  of  mis- 


The  Vision  of  the  Future  2 1  £ 

sionary  endeavour  in  our  day  is  not,  as  it  was  in 
the  inception  of  foreign  missions  a  century  ago, 
to  snatch  a  soul  here  and  there  as  a  brand  from 
the  burning.  It  is  the  enlightenment,  the  edu- 
cation, the  uplifting  of  entire  races  of  men,  of  all 
races  of  men  by  the  power  of  Christian  civiliza- 
tion, of  Christian  education,  by  the  persistent  use 
of  all  the  forces  and  accessories  of  Christian  phi- 
lanthropy. The  impetus  and  motive  is  found  in 
our  Lord's  summing  up  of  the  second  table  of  the 
law,  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself." 
Through  all  effort  runs  the  warm  red  blood  of 
fraternal  sympathy. 

The  Christian  missionary  to  Mohammedans 
goes  with  no  desire  to  make  Occidentals  of  Ori- 
entals. He  knows  he  has  a  great  boon  to  bestow, 
the  greatest  boon  ever  given  to  man.  But  he 
tries  to  learn,  although  it  will  take  him  longer 
than  it  did  to  acquire  his  college  and  professional 
education, — he  tries  patiently  to  learn  how  to 
make  the  gospel  message  attractive  and  inviting 
to  those  who  were  born  and  have  lived,  like  their 
ancestors  for  generations,  in  the  conviction  that 
the  very  last  thing  they  will  ever  be  persuaded  to 
do  is  to  accept  the  Christian  religion. 

Read  the  record,  if  you  dare,  of  what  "  Chris- 
tian "  traders  and  ship  captains  have  done  in  the 
islands  of  the  Pacific,  in  Africa,  in  Chinese  coast 
cities,  in  India ;  and  then  thank  God  that,  mainly 
through  what  missionaries  have  done,  those  black 


2 1 6        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

damning  blots  are  now  seldom  cast  on  the  Chris- 
tian name  in  those  lands. 

As  the  years  of  the  twentieth  century  increase, 
what  Mohammedans  know  of  Christians,  whether 
officers  of  governments,  civilians  or  travellers,  will 
win  them  to  ask,  half  unconsciously  at  first, 
"  What  is  it  that  makes  Christians  more  prosper- 
ous than  we  are?  What  makes  them  bring  us 
physical  healing,  mental  uplift,  high  moral  ex- 
ample ?  What  makes  them  face  death  and  the 
future  with  a  hopefulness  and  a  joyousness  that 
we  do  not  feel  ?     Is  it  not  their  religion  ?  " 

Cogent  reasons  have  existed  for  1,900  years  to 
make  Jews  accept  Jesus  of  Nazareth  as  their 
Messiah.  Yet  few  have  done  so  compared  with 
those  who  have  adhered  to  their  ancestral  faith. 
An  ancestral  religion  grips  men  with  tremendous 
power.  Yet  on  the  free  soil  of  America  many 
Jews  seem  almost  persuaded  to  be  Christians. 

Wherever  Mohammedans  are  coming  in  close 
contact  with  pure  Christianity  and  pure  Christian 
life  their  attitude  towards  Christianity  and  Chris- 
tians is  changing. 

Once  Mohammedans  in  Turkey  thought  Prot- 
estants people  of  no  religion.  They  do  not  think 
so  now.  They  are  much  more  ready  to  say, 
"  Oh,  your  religion  is  much  like  ours."  In  mis- 
sion schools,  hospitals,  and  press,  they  seek 
models  for  their  own.  A  great  and  surprising 
change  suddenly  took  place  in  Turkey  in  July, 


The  Vision  of  the  Future  2 1 7 

1908.  What  caused  it?  Is  it  sufficient  to  say, 
"  The  march  of  civilization  came  that  way "  ? 
Many  are  thinking,  even  when  they  hesitate  to 
say  it,  "  American  missionary  and  especially 
American  educational  influence  was  the  most 
powerful  factor  in  the  change  on  its  moral  side, 
and  the  moral  uplift  has  been  the  most  sig- 
nificant." Men  have  believed  that  right,  in  the 
long  run,  is  might.  Missionaries  have  not 
touched  politics.  But  they  have  touched  life 
in  all  its  elements  and  forces.  The  missionary 
is  not  merely  or  chiefly  a  preacher.  He  is  an 
educator,  a  formative  and  uplifting  influence  on 
the  social  order,  a  herald  of  righteousness, 
truth  and  peace,  of  Liberty,  Justice,  Equality, 
Fraternity.  In  an  emissary  to  alien  peoples, 
it  is  a  victory  of  the  godlike  soul  when  he  no 
longer  hates  any  man  however  degraded  but 
hates  sin  so  intensely  that  any  personal  sacri- 
fice is  welcomed  which  can  win  a  soul  from  its 
dominion.  To  ivin  a  soul!  To  convince  the 
mind  is  nothing,  if  efforts  stop  there,  if  that  is  the 
sole  result.  "  With  the  heart  man  believeth  unto 
righteousness." 

The  writer  here  ventures  on  a  bit  of  autobiog- 
raphy, which  may,  it  is  hoped,  give  emphasis  to 
what  is  presented  in  this  chapter. 

In  the  evening  of  November  10,  1858,  Rev. 
Secretary  Treat,  of  revered  and  blessed  memory, 
addressed  the  students  of  Andover  Theological 


2i8        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

Seminary, — there  were  one  hundred  and  twenty 
of  us  then, — on  the  claims  of  the  foreign  mis- 
sionary fields  of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.  The  duty 
and  call  of  that  service  was  already  since  the 
summer  pressing  on  my  mind.  As  I  left  the  hall 
I  knew  that  for  me  the  decisive  hour  had  struck. 
How  far  I  walked,  how  long  it  was  before  I 
returned  I  do  not  at  all  remember,  but  before  I 
slept  the  decision  was  made,  never  to  be  recalled, 
to  give  my  life  to  Christian  service  in  some 
foreign  land. 

What  is  the  reason  for  my  noting  down  here 
this  crucial  event  of  my  own  life  ?  It  is  this. 
For  nine  consecutive  years  my  life  had  been 
passed  in  academic,  collegiate,  theological  halls. 
I  knew  little  of  the  life  of  men.  My  motives  for 
the  decision  made  were  these  two  of  our  Re- 
deemer's commands,  "  Go  disciple  all  nations," 
and  "  If  ye  love  Me  keep  My  commandments." 
Any  yearning  love  for  men  of  an  alien  race  or 
any  just  appreciation  of  their  need  of  the  mes- 
sage I  was  charged  to  deliver  I  had  not.  I  was 
ready  to  lay  down  my  life  for  my  Master  :  it  was 
for  His  sake,  not  theirs,  that  I  desired  to  offer 
them  a  cup  of  cold  water. 

The  experience  developed  as  the  years  have 
passed,  the  contact  with  men's  spiritual  needs,  the 
spectacle  of  the  groping  of  human  souls  in 
earthly  fogs  and  darkness,  the  knowledge  that 
these  brothers  of  mine  really  have  but  one  great 


The  Vision  of  the  Future  219 

need,  has  broadened  and  deepened  the  motive  to 
service.  Their  need,  like  my  own,  is  to  find  and 
follow  Jesus,  to  accept  the  service  He  offers,  to 
possess  that  abundant  life  which  He  came  to  the 
world  to  bestow. 

From  this  enlarged  vision  has  grown  a  more 
powerful  and  more  compelling  motive  to  Chris- 
tian service  than  any  imperative  of  duty.  And 
I  desire  to  see  every  missionary  go  to  his  field 
led  by  the  "  love  of  Christ  which  constraineth," 
but  also  by  that  fraternal  love  and  sympathy  for 
men  of  whatever  race  and  in  whatever  condition 
which  will  make  his  life  a  truly  Christlike  life. 

In  work  for  Mohammedans,  perhaps  more 
than  for  heathen  races,  we  are  in  danger  of  being 
impatient  over  the  paucity  of  results  which  can 
be  put  in  statistical  tables.  Before  this  chroni- 
cling of  tangible  and  reportable  results  becomes 
possible,  to  the  extent  the  churches  of  the  West 
are  looking  for  it,  the  strong  aversion,  the  hostil- 
ity which  Mohammedans  have  for  centuries  felt 
towards  Christians  must  give  way  to  friendliness, 
and  the  desire  must  be  awakened  widely  among 
Mussulman  peoples,  to  know  what  Christians  of 
the  West  know,  and  to  share  in  their  material, 
mental  and  moral  wealth. 

Along  that  road  must  Mohammedans  be  pa- 
tiently invited  to  walk.  Will  they  not  them- 
selves see,  as  the  years  pass,  that  they  can  never 
share  that  robust  morality,  cannot  possess  the 


220        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

character  which  alone  accounts  for  the  progress 
of  Christian  peoples,  without  accepting  Christ, 
not  as  prophet  along  with  Mohammed,  but  as 
Saviour  and  Redeemer  for  all  men  ? 

But  let  us  be  considerate  towards  devotees  of 
a  venerable  ancestral  faith.  Let  us  not  forget 
that  Islam  has  a  splendid  history,  going  back  to 
times  when  our  ancestors  were  barbarians. 

Let  it  be  our  aim  and  our  hope  to  give  the 
best  things  we  possess  to  our  brothers  of  Mus- 
sulman races.  These  are  the  things  they  need. 
For  myself  I  care  little  that  Mohammedans  are 
learning  from  us  how  to  build  up  armies  and 
navies,  or  to  live  in  greater  material  comfort,  if 
that  is  all.  I  l\ave  no  desire  to  see  them  join  the 
mad  rush  after  material  gain  and  the  power  so 
derived.     There  is  no  road  to  heaven  that  way. 

But  in  the  art  of  scientific  healing,  in  true 
education,  in  a  wholesome  periodical  and  perma- 
nent literature,  based  on  God's  revealed  word,  in 
the  elevation  of  the  social  order,  in  every  form 
of  philanthropy  and  brotherhood,  we  have  much 
that  is  beneficient  to  give,  much  which  Mussul- 
mans are  ready  to  receive. 

And  then,  not  in  a  receding  or  distant,  but  in 
an  approaching  and  near  future,  there  will  come, 
or  our  confidence  in  God's  word  and  in  Christ- 
like living  is  vain,  acceptance  by  Mussulman 
peoples  of  Jesus  Christ  as  their  Redeemer  and 
Reconciler  with  God. 


The  Vision  of  the  Future  221 

The  chasm  between  Christian  and  Mussulman 
will  be  closed  when  devotees  of  Islam  shall  dis- 
card the  name  Mohammedan,  but  retain  the  ex- 
cellent name  Muslim,  and  when  their  muezzins 
shall,  in  the  call  to  worship,  couple  with  that  of 
the  one  God  the  name  and  office  of  the  one 
Saviour  of  men :  and  when  their  ethical  system, 
in  theory  and  in  life,  shall  be  conformed  to  the 
teachings  and  the  example  of  Jesus  the  Christ. 

May  God  hasten  the  day. 


3    THE    BOSPHORUS 
NOPLE 


SUPPLEMENTARY   CHAPTER 
The  Missionary  of  To-day 


This  chapter  is  nearly  identical  with  the  sixth  lec- 
ture of  a  course  delivered  in  November,  191 1,  at 
Union  Theological  Seminary,  New  York,  and  in  De- 
cember at  Andover  Seminary,  Cambridge,  Mass. 

The  first  lecture  of  the  course  was  on  "  The  Present 
Outlook  in  the  Nearer  East,"  and  does  not  find  place 
in  this  book.  The  other  four  lectures  were  a  part  of 
what  has  been  presented  in  the  preceding  chapters. 


SUPPLEMENTARY  CHAPTER 
THE  MISSIONARY  OF  TO-DAY 

THE  missionary  ideal,  the  dynamic  of 
foreign  missionary  work  in  our  time, 
differs  widely  from  that  which  started 
the  missionary  enterprise  to  alien  peoples  a  cen- 
tury ago. 

Indeed  by  expressions  often  used,  one  is  led  to 
regard  the  early  and  the  modern  missionary 
ideals  as  radically  different  in  essence  and  in  aim. 
If  this  view  be  correct  then  the  modern  ideal, 
when  adopted,  displaces  and  utterly  discredits 
the  old  ideal.  This  is  perhaps  the  tendency  of 
modern  thought.  It  is  in  our  age  that  knowl- 
edge and  wisdom  were  born.  The  claim  is  made 
not  only  in  the  world  of  matter,  but  also  in  that 
of  spirit. 

Others,  while  disclaiming  the  thorough  appli- 
cation of  the  doctrine  of  evolution  to  the  prob- 
lems of  the  moral  and  spiritual  world,  yet  trace 
the  change  in  the  conception  of  what  missionary 
work  among  alien  races  is  and  ought  to  be,  as  a 
normal  development  from  a  narrower  to  a  broader 
conception,  from  the  individual  to  society,  from 
the  exclusive  to  the  inclusive,  from  contentment 
with  immediate  though  small  results  to  expecta- 
225 


226        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

tions  of  larger  though  later  results  for  the  reali- 
zation of  which  time,  it  may  be  long  reaches  of 
time  are  necessary. 

In  our  effort  to  distinguish  carefully  and  cor- 
rectly the  qualities  of  the  earlier  and  the  later 
missionary  ideal,  we  shall  arrive  at  a  fruitful  re- 
sult, not  by  setting  the  two  in  antagonism  the 
one  to  the  other,  but  by  recognizing  qualities 
identical  in  both.  The  important  differences 
will,  in  this  way,  appear  all  the  more  clearly. 

It  is  hoped,  moreover,  that  reference  to  per- 
sonal experience  as  the  years  have  passed,  and 
the  work  has  developed,  will  be  taken  as  it  is  in- 
tended, viz.,  as  the  testimony  of  an  eye-witness. 

Before  we  consider  the  problem  of  the  evolu- 
tion of  a  modern  missionary,  along  the  main 
lines  of  missionary  activity,  we  may  well  take 
note  of  certain  somewhat  radical  changes  which 
have  taken  place  in  the  conception,  throughout 
Christendom,  of  the  true  function  and  aim  of  all 
Christian  service. 

Fifty  years  ago  the  leading  thought  in  preach- 
ing and  Christian  teaching,  both  at  home  and 
abroad,  was  the  duty  of  so  living  in  this  world  as 
to  make  a  safe  exit  from  it  into  a  life  of  blessed- 
ness hereafter.  Christian  service  had  for  its  main 
object  the  stimulation  of  the  desire  of  men  to  at- 
tain salvation  through  faith  in  Christ.  All  the 
good  which  this  world  can  offer  was  put  in  con- 
trast with  the  blessedness  of  heaven.     Especially 


The  Missionary  of  To-day         227 

in  missionary  work  among  alien  peoples  the  Scrip- 
tural illustration  was  often  used  of  "  plucking  a 
brand  from  the  burning." 

The  present  prevailing  conception  is  markedly 
different.  The  Christian  is  bound  to  live  here 
and  now  a  Christlike  life  and  to  do  all  in  his 
power  to  help  others  to  lead  Christlike  lives.  If 
a  missionary  to  an  alien  people  he  cherishes  the 
high  purpose  of  bringing  light  and  spiritual  life 
to  that  people,  of  helping  men  to  live  more 
worthy  of  their  manhood  in  the  present  world. 
He  works  to  make  the  whole  people  better, 
more  intelligent,  more  amenable  to  the  demands 
of  social  purity  and  moral  law,  less  narrow  and 
self-centred,  in  their  conception  of  the  meaning 
of  human  life ;  and  his  appeal  is  ever  to  the 
unique  life  and  teaching  of  Jesus  Christ. 

It  is  somewhat  more  than  fifty  years  since  I 
entered  on  work  at  Constantinople.  The  vener- 
able Dr.  Rufus  Anderson  was  then  chief  secretary 
of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.  He  had  then  recently, 
with  Dr.  A.  C.  Thompson,  made  a  tour  of  visita- 
tion to  the  Board's  missions  in  India  and  in 
Turkey.  The  chief  object  and  result  of  that  visit 
was  to  emphasize*  the  importance  of  evangelistic 
as  compared  with  educational  work,  and  to  limit 
materially  the  educational  work  already  under- 
taken. The  year  following  my  own  entrance 
upon  missionary  work,  in  a  letter  to  the  mission 
with  which  I  was  connected,  Dr.  Anderson  de- 


228        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

sired  to  curb  the  professional  zeal  of  Dr.  S.  H. 
West,  the  first  really  able  American  surgeon  sent 
as  missionary  to  Turkey,  and  reminded  him  and 
the  mission  that  Dr.  West's  chief  object  and  oc- 
cupation should  be  "  soul  saving."  It  was  long 
years  after  that  time  that  the  healing  of  disease 
assumed  the  importance  it  is  now  universally 
recognized  as  holding  in  missionary  work.  The 
frequent  long  journeys  of  the  physicians  of  those 
days  and  of  the  missionary  pioneers  were  full  of 
both  hardship  and  peril.  Robberies  were  famil- 
iar experiences.  Mr.  Dunmore,  a  man  who 
knew  not  the  meaning  of  fear,  was  in  the  habit 
of  travelling  quite  alone  and  unarmed,  with  only 
his  small  saddle-bags  on  his  horse.  One  day  two 
heavily  armed  Kurds  stopped  and  robbed  him. 
The  amount  of  money  or  anything  of  value  that 
they  found  on  him  was  so  small  that  they  grew 
furious,  and  declared,  "  We'll  kill  you."  "  Well, 
that  you  can,"  said  Mr.  Dunmore.  "  But  I  came 
to  your  country  from  very  far  away  to  preach  the 
Gospel  to  just  such  men  as  you.  Give  me  half 
an  hour  and  then  kill  me.  This  is  our  way," 
said  he,  pulling  his  Turkish  Testament  from  his 
pocket.  "  First  we  pray ; "  then  he  prayed. 
"  Now  we  read,"  and  he  read  "  Fear  not  them 
that  kill  the  body,  but  fear  Him  who  can  destroy 
both  soul  and  body  in  hell."  Even  before  he 
began  to  preach  his  sermon  the  robbers  made 
him  a  profound  salutation,  restored  what  they 


The  Missionary  of  To-day         229 

had  taken  and  left,  assured  that  they  had  fallen 
in  with  a  saint. 

The  modern  missionary  knows  that  if  his  mis- 
sion is  to  result  in  the  saving  of  human  souls  from 
the  power  and  dominion  of  sin  it  must  be  his 
endeavour  to  obey  very  exactly  his  Master's  last 
command,  viz.,  to  induce  those  to  whom  he  goes 
to  become  disciples  of  Jesus,  the  Christ.  The 
means  he  will  make  use  of  to  accomplish  this  are 
manifold,  but  always  and  everywhere  the  teach- 
ing of  Jesus,  as  illustrated  and  illuminated  in  his 
life,  is  the  impelling  and  controlling  force. 

In  comparing  the  ideal  of  the  missionary  of  to- 
day with  that  of  his  predecessors,  we  need  for  the 
most  part  go  no  further  back  than  the  middle  of 
the  last-  century.  We  shall  make  the  comparison 
under  four  aspects,  and  in  some  of  these  aspects 
we  glance  back  a  full  century. 

I.  The  Missionary  in  His  Relation  to 
Governments 
In  the  relation  of  the  missionary  to  his  own 
government  there  has  been  no  change  from  the 
first  till  now.  The  American  missionary  has 
never  sustained  any  relation  to  his  own  govern- 
ment as  a  missionary.  His  relation  has  been  and 
is  simply  that  of  an  American  citizen  residing 
abroad,  often  in  countries  where  he,  in  common 
with  other  foreign  residents,  has  enjoyed  under 
treaty  obligations   the   rights    conferred  by  the 


230        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

law  of  exterritoriality.  That  is,  the  American 
citizen  is,  in  his  own  house,  constructively  on 
American  soil.  His  domicile  is  inviolable,  can- 
not be  entered  by  a  government  officer  except  at 
his  invitation,  and  he  is  not  subject  to  arrest  any- 
where except  by  order  of  his  own  consul.  So  far 
.the  position  of  the  first  American  missionaries  in 
Turkey  is  identical  with  that  of  the  missionary 
of  to-day.  So  in  China,  and  yet  this  patent  fact 
has  been  misconceived  and  publicly  misrepre- 
sented by  prominent  organs  of  the  American 
press  till  very  recently. 

It  is  but  seven  years  since  a  leading  editorial 
in  the  New  York  Times  entitled  "  The  Embattled 
Missionary  "  contended  that  the  United  States 
government  should  not  be  asked  to  lend  the  aid 
of  its  men-of-war  in  favour  of  a  missionary  prop- 
aganda !  The  Times  was  fighting  a  man  of 
straw,  and  when  a  missionary  on  furlough  inter- 
viewed the  editor  and  informed  him  from  per- 
sonal knowledge  that  there  was  no  basis  in  fact  for 
the  statements  made  in  his  article,  the  editor  asked 
for  a  brief  statement  in  writing  from  the  mission- 
ary. When  the  statement  was  received,  he  pub- 
lished instead  a  long  letter  from  a  correspondent 
of  tenor  similar  to  his  own  editorial,  although  the 
correspondent  confessed  that  he  had  no  personal 
knowledge  of  the  facts.  Those  facts  were  simply 
that  the  American  Consul-General  at  Beirut,  and 
the  United  States  Ambassador  at  Constantinople, 


The  Missionary  of  To-day         231 

in  a  time  of  excitement  and  danger  in  Turkey, 
asked  for  a  United  States  war  vessel  to  be  sent 
into  Turkish  waters  for  the  protection  of  the  lives 
and  property  of  American  citizens.  The  value 
of  the  property  of  Americans  in  Turkey,  in  recent 
years,  has  risen  to  many  millions  of  dollars.  It 
was  United  States  government  representatives, 
not  missionaries,  who  asked  for  the  war  vessels. 

In  the  relation  of  the  missionary  to  the  govern- 
ment of  the  country  in  which  he  works  the  years 
have  brought  radical  changes.  In  the  beginning 
of  the  modern  missionary  enterprise  the  herald  of 
the  Gospel  of  Christ  was  welcomed  nowhere. 
Even  his  own  countrymen,  traders  in  foreign 
lands,  seamen  visiting  alien  ports  and  Pacific 
Islands,  were  the  missionaries'  bitterest  enemies. 
He  found  no  protection  even  in  India  under  the 
British  flag.  If  we  go  back  only  half  a  century 
we  find  China  closed  against  missionaries,  except 
little  quarters  of  half  a  dozen  coast  cities.  Japan 
and  Korea  were  hermetically  sealed.  Central 
Africa  was  as  unknown  as  the  planet  Mars. 

The  missionary  is  now  eagerly  welcomed  in 
Japan  and  Korea  and  is  safe  under  Japanese  law. 
The  change  has  been  less  rapid  in  China.  It  is 
only  a  little  more  than  a  decade  since  the  great 
massacre  of  foreign  and  native  Christians  took 
place  in  that  empire.  To-day  not  only  is  there 
an  open  door  for  the  missionaries  in  all  China, 
but  that  sober  and  ancient  people  are  eager  to 


232         Christian  and  Mohammedan 

possess  the  benefits  which  Christian  civilization 
and  education  offer  them. 

Let  us  trace  in  more  detail  the  changes  that 
have  taken  place  in  Turkey  in  the  relation  of 
the  missionary  to  the  government  of  the  land. 

In  the  early  forties  the  little  group  of  Ameri- 
can missionaries  were  threatened  with  expulsion 
from  Turkey.  This  movement  was  not  sponta- 
neous on  the  part  of  the  Turkish  government,  but 
was  forced  by  the  Ambassador  of  Russia  and  the 
Armenian  and  Greek  Patriarchs.  The  American 
Minister,  Commodore  Porter,  told  the  mission- 
aries he  could  no  longer  protect  them  in  the 
country.  "  Do  you  order  us  to  leave  ? "  they 
asked.  "  No,"  he  replied ;  "  my  duty  does  not 
require  me  to  order  you  to  leave,  but  if  you  stay 
you  do  so  at  your  own  risk."  "  Then  we  stay," 
they  said.  Before  the  government  was  able  to 
execute  its  threat  new  intrigues,  which  the 
Turkish  capital  never  lacks,  absorbed  the  atten- 
tion of  the  Turkish  officials  and  the  American 
missionaries  were  forgotten.  From  that  time  on, 
for  many  years,  until  1864,  the  little  groups  of 
missionaries  working  among  non-Mussulmans 
were  either  looked  upon  as  a  negligible  quantity, 
or  as  perhaps  a  useful  if  very  small  element,  in 
the  affairs  of  the  empire. 

An  incident  which  took  place  during  the 
critical  time  above  referred  to  is  worth  mention. 
Dr.  Schauffler  with  one  of  his  colleagues  had  an 


The  Missionary  of  To-day         233 

interview  with  the  Russian  Ambassador  in  which 
His  Excellency  declared,  "  My  Imperial  Master, 
the  Czar  of  all  the  Russias,  will  never  permit 
American  missionaries  to  establish  themselves  in 
Turkey."  Dr.  Schauffler  replied,  "  My  royal 
Master  will  never  consult  the  Czar  of  all  the 
Russias  on  the  question  upon  what  lands  He  shall 
plant  His  foot." 

In  the  years  immediately  following  the 
Crimean  war  missionaries  enjoyed  a  freedom 
under  the  Turkish  government  which  was  not 
paralleled  either  in  the  previous  or  the  following 
years,  till  the  re-proclamation  of  a  Constitution 
in  1908.  The  immediate  occasion  of  the  sus- 
picious and  hostile  attitude  adopted  in  1864, 
which  became  greatly  accentuated  under  the 
rule  of  Abdul  Hamid  II,  was  the  issue  in  Turk- 
ish of  controversial  literature  by  English  mis- 
sionaries. The  American  missionaries,  however, 
have  always  adopted  the  policy,  or  rather  worked 
in  accord  with  the  principle,  of  strict  observance 
of  treaties  existing  between  their  own  and  the 
Ottoman  government,  according  to  which  any 
attack  upon  the  state  religion  was  unlawful.  In 
this  way  their  work  for  non-Mussulmans  and 
their  issue  of  the  Bible  for  Mussulmans  went 
prosperously  on  quite  through  the  despotic  reign 
of  Abdul  Hamid,  even  under  the  eyes  of  his  in- 
famous system  of  secret  espionage. 

About  eighteen  years  ago  events  occurred  in 


234        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

Asia  Minor  which  from  that  time  to  this  have 
made  the  American  missionaries  the  observed  of 
all  observers  in  government  circles. 

For  very  many  years  the  Russian  Ambassador 
at  Constantinople  has  known  more  accurately 
what  was  going  on  in  all  parts  of  the  Turkish 
Empire  than  the  high  officials  of  the  Ottoman 
government  have  known.  This  was  notably  true 
during  the  times  when  Ignatieff  and  Nelidoff 
were  the  representatives  of  the  Czar  at  the  Sub- 
lime Porte.  One  of  their  official  duties  was  to 
obstruct  and  limit,  as  far  as  possible,  the  work  of 
the  American  missionaries.  So  when,  in  con- 
nection with  the  events  of  1893- 1896,  the  mis- 
sionaries were  accused  by  the  Turks — falsely 
accused,  as  they  were  subsequently  forced  to 
acknowledge — of  fomenting  sedition,  Count 
Nelidoff  said  to  the  Grand  Vezir,  "  Why  don't 
you  send  these  American  missionaries  out  of  the 
country?"  This  was  early  in  the  year  1897. 
In  March  of  that  year  Abdul  Hamid  issued  an 
edict  for  the  expulsion  of  all  American  mis- 
sionaries, and  one  man  was  actually  sent  under 
guard  from  his  station  in  the  far  interior  to 
the  coast  at  Alexandretta.  There  he  was,  at 
the  insistent  demand  of  Mr.  Riddle,  then  United 
States  Charge  d' Affaires,  backed  by  Sir  Philip 
Currie,  British  Ambassador,  delivered  over  to 
the  American  Consul,  and  by  him  sent  to 
Mr.    Riddle    at   Constantinople.     Further   steps 


The  Missionary  of  To-day         235 

towards  carrying  into  execution  the  decree  of 
expulsion  were  taken,  but  were  effectually  ar- 
rested by  the  knowledge  at  the  Porte  and  at  the 
palace  that  they  had  to  reckon  with  the  British 
as  well  as  with  the  United  States  government  in 
any  attempt  to  carry  out  this  nefarious  scheme. 
It  was  characteristic  of  Turkish  diplomacy  that, 
on  the  return  to  his  post  of  Minister  Terrell,  the 
Turks  strenuously  denied  that  such  a  decree  was 
ever  issued  and  he  accepted  their  denial.  I  took 
pains,  some  time  afterwards,  to  verify  the  state- 
ments above  made  by  an  interview  with  the 
keeper  of  the  Archives  of  the  British  Embassy. 
In  reference  to  the  relation  of  the  missionaries 
to  the  Ottoman  government,  it  is  important  to 
add  that  their  relations  with  local  officials  in  the 
cities  where  they  reside  have  generally  been 
friendly,  and  that  they  have,  in  the  great  majority 
of  cases  of  difficulty  that  have  arisen,  themselves 
amicably  settled  matters  directly  with  the  local 
officers,  instead  of  troubling  their  own  govern- 
ment representatives  with  them.1 

1  Had  American  missionaries  been  in  closer  touch  with  high 
officers  of  the  Ottoman  government  the  last  two  years,  the  de- 
plorable mistake  of  using  force,  in  the  place  of  conciliatory- 
methods  to  restore  normal  order  in  Albania,  might  not  have 
been  made.  It  was  that  mistake  which  cooled  the  sympathy 
of  Europe  with  the  Turks,  and  Italy  seized  her  opportunity, 
long  waited  for,  suddenly  to  cross  the  Mediterranean  and  ap- 
propriate the  possessions  of  the  Turks  in  North  Africa,  co- 
signatory though  she  was  with  Turkey  to  the  Hague  treaty. 


236        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

II.  The  Missionary  as  Philanthropist 
This  covers  relief  work  and  medical  work. 
The  early  missionaries  were  as  true  philanthro- 
pists as  those  of  later  days,  but  the  scope  of 
philanthropic  work  has  immensely  broadened  in 
all  Eastern  lands  during  the  last  score  of  years. 
Both  in  the  regular  and  uninterrupted  work  of 
scientific  healing,  and  in  the  emergency  work  of 
relief  in  times  of  famine,  pestilence  and  massacre, 
— work  which  has  thrown  upon  missionaries  the 
care  for  years  of  thousands  of  orphans, — the 
separating  barriers  of  race,  caste  or  religion, 
have  been  overstepped  or  swept  away.  It  is  the 
appeal  of  human  need  which  has  met  quick  and 
ample  response  from  all  Christian  lands,  and  the 
missionaries  have  been  the  almoners.  The 
telegraph  wires  running  through  Europe  and  to 
America  carried  in  November,  1895,  the  mes- 
sage: "We  need  $1,000,000  for  relief  for  Ar- 
menians," and  before  the  year  1896  ended  that 
sum  and  more  passed  through  the  hands  of  the 
American  Board's  treasurer  at  Constantinople, 
and  was  applied  to  the  relief  of  the  distressed 

And  is  there  "  rain  enough  in  the  sweet  heavens  "  to  wash 
away  the  stain  on  Italy's  fair  fame  made  deep  and  black  by 
ruthless  massacre  ? 

The  missionary  endures  no  suffering  greater  than  that  of 
facing  human  anguish  he  is  powerless  to  prevent.  It  would 
sometimes  crush  him  if  he  could  not  apply  to  others  the 
balm  of  sympathy  and  of  healing. 


The  Missionary  of  To-day  237 

and  to  the  support  of  massacre  orphans.  Almost 
the  whole  missionary  force  was  employed  for 
months  in  the  distribution  of  this  relief.  The 
massacre  of  1909,  more  limited  geographically, 
but  even  more  horrible  in  some  of  its  develop- 
ments, subjected  the  missionaries  labouring  in 
those  provinces  south  of  the  Taurus  range  of 
mountains  to  a  strain  perilously  severe.  Two 
missionaries  were  slain  at  Adana.  But  what 
thousands  of  lives  have  been  saved !  What  re- 
birth of  hope  and  courage  has  resulted  in  a  virile 
but  long  oppressed  race ! 

In  the  great  famines  in  India  it  has  been  the 
missionaries,  living  in  close  contact  with  the 
people  and  working  in  harmony  with  the  gov- 
ernment of  India,  who  have  made  possible  the 
just  and  effective  distribution  of  the  vast  sums 
sent  from  Christendom  for  relief. 

The  establishment  of  dispensaries  and  hospitals 
by  missionaries  in  Eastern  lands  in  recent  years 
has  been  a  still  more  impressive  demonstration  of 
practical  Christianity  in  its  working  among 
Oriental  peoples.  By  day  and  by  night,  and 
year  after  year  these  institutions  are  telling  to 
millions  of  men,  women,  children  of  every  race, 
every  faith,  every  rank  in  life,  telling  by  silent 
and  loving  ministries,  how  God  loves  men,  how 
Jesus  Christ  came,  and  in  the  person  of  His  fol- 
lowers still  comes  to  save  the  suffering  and  the 
lost. 


238        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

An  incident  from  my  own  experience  will  show 
how  this  work  of  healing  grows  upon  our  hands. 
Twenty  years  ago  I  was  in  charge,  for  two  or 
three  years,  of  the  newly  established  Anatolia 
College.  The  room  over  the  director's  office 
was  our  hospital,  for  which,  though  knowing  next 
to  nothing  of  medicine,  I  was  solely  responsible. 
There  were  three  beds  for  boys  who  might  be  ill, 
and  a  fourth  for  a  pupil  who  knew  nothing  of 
medicine,  as  nurse !  A  fairly  competent  doctor 
lived  in  the  city,  who  was  called  to  any  serious 
case,  but  lost  at  least  two  cases,  by  his  own  sub- 
sequent confession,  by  neglect.  There  was  the 
acorn.  We  will  now  turn  to  the  latest  report  of 
the  Anatolia  College  Hospital  and  see  into  what 
a  sturdy  oak  that  acorn  has  developed.  Essen- 
tially the  same  story  of  growth  is  told  to-day 
from  all  Eastern  lands. 

In-patients  in  the  year  ending  June,  191 1 

(medical,  218,  surgical,  560)      -         -     778 
Out-patients     .....      4,005. 

The  foundations  are  already  laid  for  a  permanent 
building  on  modern  hospital  plans,  on  a  splendid 
site  contiguous  to  Anatolia  College,  in  place  of 
the  temporary  structures  hitherto  occupied  on  the 
college  campus. 

III.     The  Missionary  as  an  Educator 
That  which  most  strikes  a  visitor  from  Western 
lands  to  missionary  fields  in  the  East  is  the  edu- 


The  Missionary  of  To-day         239 

cational  institutions  which  have  been  established 
and  which  have  shown  a  phenomenal  growth  in 
those  lands  within  the  past  forty  years.  The 
issue  of  the  Bible  and  the  simpler  forms  of  Chris- 
tian literature  from  missionary  presses  long 
antedated  the  establishment  of  any  worthy  system 
of  schools.  Schools  were  started  at  the  beginning 
but  they  were  necessarily  very  small,  although 
wholly  eleemosynary.  There  existed  no  appetite 
for  education  among  Oriental  peoples.  Pupils 
had  to  be  won.  The  desire  for  knowledge  had 
to  be  created.  It  was  a  slow,  sometimes  a  baffling 
process.  It  was  then  useless  even  to  propose  to 
receive  girls  into  any  but  the  most  primary  school. 
But  as  years  passed  the  desire  was  developed. 
How  the  transition  was  made  from  the  old 
eleemosynary  system,  from  the  exclusive  system 
which  received  into  what  may,  by  courtesy,  be 
called  high  schools  and  theological  seminaries, 
only  those  who  were  regarded  as  candidates  for 
some  form  of  ministerial  service,  to  the  present 
well  developed  system  of  general  education,  may 
best  anpear  from  an  account  of  the  evolution  of 
Anatolia  College. 

The  educational  work  of  American  missionaries 
in  the  Ottoman  Empire  has  been  a  normal  de- 
velopment, a  vital  growth,  not  a  series  of  breaks 
and  de  novo  beginnings. 

Seventeen  years  ago  I  took  up  my  residence  in 
a  house  on  the  Bosphorus,  to  which  is  attached  a 


240        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

little  garden.  In  that  garden  was  a  tiny  Norway 
pine,  as  large  as  my  wrist,  of  a  man's  height, 
tied  to  a  post  to  keep  it  straight.  It  is  now  a 
foot  in  diameter,  and  fifty  feet  high,  as  straight 
as  an  arrow,  its  branches  extending  over  900 
square  feet  of  surface,  all  dependencies  long 
since  outgrown.  It  is,  however,  the  same  tree 
that  I  cared  for  years  ago. 

The  genesis  of  Anatolia  College  is  given  in 
some  detail  not  because  it  was  the  first  of  the 
colleges  which  came  into  being  in  Turkey  in  the 
course  of  the  emergence  of  the  modern  missionary 
ideal  and  its  illustration  in  practice,  but  because 
it  illustrates  with  special  clearness  the  change 
from  the  old  to  the  new,  and  shows  how  the  new 
grew  out  of  the  old,  and  also  because  the  whole 
movement  was  a  vital  part  of  my  own  missionary 
experience. 

Thirty  years  ago  the  missionaries  of  the  A.  B. 
C.  F.  M.  resident  at  Marsovan,  viz.,  Messrs.  J.  F. 
Smith,  Edward  Riggs,  C.  C.  Tracy  and  myself, 
had  been  conducting  an  institution  of  the  old  type 
for  fifteen  years.  The  course  took  young  men 
from  the  common  school,  gave  them  two  years 
of  science  and  language  study,  and  two  years  of 
theological  and  Biblical  and  homiletical  instruc- 
tion, and  so  inducted  them  into  a  semi-educated 
Christian  ministry.  There  were  eight  months  of 
study,  and  four  months  of  evangelistic  or  teaching 
work   each  year.     All  pupils   were  pledged   to 


The  Missionary  of  To-day         241 

give  themselves  to  the  work  of  the  ministry. 
No  tuition  was  demanded.  Board  was  provided. 
Work  in  vacation  supplied  the  young  men  with 
money  for  clothing  and  other  expenses.  One 
thing  this  system  did  accomplish.  It  widely 
stimulated  a  desire  among  young  men  for  educa- 
tion. Indeed  many  young  men  persuaded  their 
teachers  and  themselves  that  they  wished  to 
"  enter  the  ministry,"  when  their  course  of  study 
was  finished.  Experience  proved  that  a  very 
short  period  of  service  as  preachers  or  teachers 
sufficed  to  ease  their  consciences  of  the  duty  to 
which  they  had  pledged  themselves.  Now  ob- 
serve that  the  very  men  who  were  working  a 
system  that  ^required  radical  change,  working 
under  conditions  wholly  unfamiliar  to  the  men 
of  this  generation,  were  the  men  who  inaugurated 
the  new  era.  Our  experience  convinced  us  that 
the  old  system  had  serious  defects  which  called 
insistently  for  a  remedy.  (1)  A  course  of  study 
of  four  short  years  between  the  common  school 
and  entrance  on  the  Christian  ministry  was  far 
too  short.  (2)  To  accept  as  pupils  only  those 
pledged  to  ministerial  service  was  an  injury  at 
once  to  the  pupils  received  and  to  promising 
youth  thus  excluded  from  all  opportunities  of 
study  beyond  the  most  primary,  simply  because 
they  were  not  to  become  members  of  the  clerical 
profession.  (3)  A  greater  defect  of  the  old  sys- 
tem became  more  and  more  apparent  in  the  fact 


242        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

that,  throughout  the  course,  that  is,  in  the  pre- 
paratory as  well  as  in  the  theological  period  of 
study,  not  only  was  instruction  gratuitous,  but 
board  and  lodging  were  provided  and  employ- 
ment was  furnished  in  the  long  vacation  sufficient 
to  cover  other  expenses  of  the  pupils.  There 
were  cases  where  we  saw  that  we  were  paying  a 
premium  on  hypocrisy. 

It  was  in  September,  1882,  after  long  con- 
sideration of  the  plan,  that  we  decided,  with 
consent  obtained  from  our  Mission  and  the  of- 
ficers of  our  Board  at  Boston,  to  separate  our 
theological  from  our  preparatory  department, 
and  to  start  a  high  school,  receiving  into  the  high 
school  as  pupils,  without  demanding  pledges  for 
future  ministerial  service,  such  suitable  candidates 
as  would  provide  for  their  own  board,  lodging 
and  other  expenses,  and  pay  a  small  yearly  tui- 
tion fee.  We  did  this  in  the  face  of  many  strong 
remonstrances  from  respected  colleagues  in  the 
Mission  and  other  friends  in  Asia  Minor.  The 
consent  of  the  Mission  to  the  "  experiment "  was 
given  under  reserve.  Some  said  "  You  will  fail. 
The  people  will  not  send  their  boys  to  school 
and  both  board  them  and  pay  a  tuition  fee." 

But  we  ventured.  We  fitted  up  a  room  thirty 
by  eighteen  feet  in  the  basement  of  our  theolog- 
ical building,  put  in  a  table  and  a  few  rude  desks, 
and  employed  as  teacher  one  of  our  own  best 
pupils,  just  graduated  from  the  seminary.     He  is 


The  Missionary  of  To-day         243 

now  Professor  of  Mathematics  in  the  college  into 
which  that  little  seed  plant  grew.  He  is  a  post- 
graduate and  Doctor  of  Philosophy  of  Carleton 
College. 

Our  little  boat  was  now  launched.  Would 
it  float?  Would  it  breast  wind  and  storm? 
Six  Armenian  boys  appeared  on  the  opening 
day.  That  number  grew  to  twenty  by  the  end 
of  the  first  year,  to  forty-two  by  the  end  of  the 
second  year.  Then  our  native  friends  came 
around  us  and  begged  us  to  make  the  high 
school  a  college.  "  We  can  easily  call  it  a  col- 
lege," we  replied,  "  but  to  make  it  an  institution 
worthy  of  the  name  of  college  is  a  task  too  great 
for  us  and  for  the  means  we  are  able  to  secure." 
However,  two  years  later,  in  September,  1886, 
our  school  took  the  name  of  Anatolia  College, 
with  a  four  years'  college  course,  and  three  years' 
preparatory ;  the  seminary,  with  a  three  years' 
course,  remaining  a  separate  institution. 

To  give  a  little  idea  what  the  transition  from 
the  old  to  the  new  system  involved,  three  facts 
may  well  be  stated.  First,  means  had  to  be  found 
to  send  men  selected  to  become  heads  of  depart- 
ments of  instruction  to  Europe  or  America  for 
some  years  of  post  graduate  study.  Second, 
during  those  early  years,  the  missionaries  them- 
selves were  obliged  to  add  to  the  work  with 
which  their  hands  seemed  already  full  the  giving 
of  class  instruction  in  almost  every  branch  of  the 


244        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

curriculum.  Third,  knowing  that  to  the  north- 
ward and  the  southward  there  was  a  very  large 
Greek  population,  we  advertised  our  readiness  to 
receive  Greek  pupils.  Able  men  laughed  at  us. 
"  Marsovan  is  in  no  sense  a  Greek  centre,  has 
scarcely  a  score  of  Greek  houses,  is  out  of  the 
path  of  travel,  not  near  the  coast,  only  a  third 
rate  city,  chiefly  famous  for  its  donkeys,"  they 
said.  Thus  plenty  of  cold  water  douches  were 
administered  to  us. 

These  were  the  beginnings.  Now  each  de- 
partment of  instruction,  except  in  foreign  lan- 
guages, has  its  competent  native  head.  The 
duties  which  fell  upon  the  head  of  the  college  the 
first  seven  years  are  now  shared  by  seven  persons. 
The  little  college,  new  born  in  1886,  is  now  an 
institution  differing  little  from  one  of  the  colleges 
of  this  country,  and  if  we  take  the  girls'  boarding- 
school  in  the  same  city  into  our  account,  it  differs 
little  from  one  of  the  co-educational  colleges  of 
our  Middle  West,  except  that  instead  of  co-edu- 
cation, we  have  parallel  education. 

As  to  the  result  in  respect  of  Greek  pupils, 
they  now  outnumber  those  of  any  other  nation- 
ality in  the  college,  and  the  Greeks  on  the  mis- 
sionary compound,  including  the  Greek  pupils 
and  teachers  in  college  and  girls'  boarding-school, 
number  about  250. 

The  following  is  taken  from  the  last  catalogue 
of  the  double  institution. 


The  Missionary  of  To-day         245 

The  College 
Students  in  the  four  college  classes       68 
"         "    "     "  preparatory  "        189 

257 

Greeks  136;  Armenians  93;  Russians  10;  others 
18,  from  13  provinces  and  4  foreign  countries. 

The  Girls'  School 

Students  in  the  four  college  classes  45 

"         "    "  preparatory  department  173 

218 
Armenians  139;  Greeks  78. 

Before  the  revolution  the  number  of  Arme- 
nians in  college  was  nearly  a  hundred  more.  The 
older  Armenian  students  to  a  large  extent  have 
come  to  America  or  have  entered  government  or 
other  business  service  in  Turkey. 

The  library  building  of  the  college  is  now  in 
process  of  erection  by  the  alumni.  There  are  no 
rich  men  among  them.  This  fact  illustrates  the 
hold  which  the  college  has  upon  its  constituency.1 

The  evolution  of  Anatolia  College  is  simply  an 
example  of  what  has  taken  place  in  recent  years 
in  all  parts  of  the  vast  field  of  foreign  missionary 
work.     There  are  ten  similar  colleges  now  estab- 

1  The  influence  of  Robert  College,  great  as  it  is  at  the  capital 
and  in  European  Turkey  and  Bulgaria,  is  far  less  in  Asia 
Minor  than  that  of  the  colleges  located  in  Asia  Minor. 


246        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

lished  in  the  Ottoman  Empire  alone,  all  full  to 
their  utmost  capacity  of  the  boys  and  girls  who 
are  the  hope  of  their  people  and  of  their  new- 
born fatherland.  The  same  story  is  told  by 
others,  of  the  growth  and  expansion  of  Christian 
educational  work  in  India,  in  Egypt,  in  China, 
in  Japan,  in  Southern  and  Central  Africa. 

In  the  year  1889,  in  telling  of  the  young  col- 
lege which  it  was  my  privilege  to  assist  in  found- 
ing, Anatolia  College,  in  the  enthusiasm  of  a 
public  address,  I  made  a  declaration,  wholly  un- 
premeditated, and  which  I  do  not  recollect  ever 
repeating,  viz.,  "  Anatolia  College  is  in  its  in- 
fancy. It  faces  the  future  with  hope  and  cour- 
age. Its  foundation  is  firmer,  has  more  promise 
of  permanence  than  has  the  throne  of  the  Calif 
Sultan." 

Compare  the  two  to-day.  The  present  condi- 
tion of  the  college  has  been  given.  The  despot 
then  sitting  on  the  Ottoman  throne  and  clothed 
with  the  authority  of  the  successor  of  Moham- 
med is  now  a  dishonoured  prisoner  at  Salonika. 

It  will  be  seen  from  what  has  already  been 
said  that  I  believe  in  evolution  as  extending  far 
beyond  the  limit  of  things  material.  One  cannot 
witness  the  changes  in  education,  in  a  press  now 
untrammelled,  in  scientific  healing,  in  society,  in 
government,  which  have  taken  place  in  Turkey 
during  the  last  score  of  years  without  believing 
profoundly    in  the  possible  and  actual  mental, 


The  Missionary  of  To-day         247 

moral,  social  development  of  Oriental  races.  With 
all  this  development  the  American  missionary 
holds  the  closest  relation,  has  open  before  him  the 
best  possible  sphere  of  influence. 

But  this  is  not  all ;  it  is  not  the  most  impor- 
tant feature  of  his  work.  It  is  not  sufficient  that 
he  be  a  philanthropist  and  an  educator.  The 
most  important  part  of  his  mission  we  are  yet  to 
consider,  viz., 

IV.  The  Missionary  as  a  Herald 
This  duty  is  twofold.  The  missionary  places 
in  the  hands  of  the  people  to  whom  he  goes 
God's  written  message  to  mankind  in  their  own 
vernacular,  and  he  proclaims  that  message,  viva 
voce,  all  his  life  long.  Thousands  of  missionary 
lives  have  been  spent  in  translating,  revising  and 
re-revising  the  book  of  divine  revelation  till  the 
highest  degree  of  accuracy  and  perspicuity  has 
been  attained.  The  work  is  almost  done.  A  very 
small  portion  of  the  human  race  is  now  left  un- 
able to  read  God's  message  of  salvation,  the  great 
evangel  of  Jesus  the  Christ,  in  the  tongue  with 
which  they  were  born.  Millions  of  copies  of 
that  message  are  distributed  in  Oriental  lan- 
guages every  year. 

This  is  the  message,  and  the  missionary  is  the 
herald.  He  proclaims  that  message,  with  the 
living  voice,  and  by  the  power  of  his  life,  to  the 
famishing  souls  among  whom  he  lives.     Before 


248        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

all  and  through  all  and  crowning  all  he  is  a 
herald  from  God  to  men.  He  is  a  prophet  in 
the  true  meaning  of  that  word.  He  is  God's 
messenger :  he  is  Christ's  apostle.  The  very 
heart  and  core  of  his  mission  is  here.  It  is  this 
and  this  alone  which  constitutes  the  uniqueness 
of  the  service  he  is  called  to  render.  Here, 
preeminently  here,  is  the  decisive  test  of  success 
or  failure.  True,  the  missionary  is  the  represent- 
ative of  the  churches  that  ordain  and  send  him 
forth.  He  is,  in  an  important  sense,  responsible 
to  the  missionary  society  under  whose  auspices 
and  orders  he  serves.  But  more  essential  than  all 
that  is  the  fact  that  he  goes  from  home  and  native 
country,  as  truly  now  as  the  early  missionaries 
went,  at  the  call  of  Him  who  bade  His  disciples 
preach  His  Gospel  everywhere,  teach  men  what 
He  has  taught  them,  make  men  His  disciples, 
and  that  till  all  men  shall  know  and  follow 
Him. 

Say  all  you  will  of  the  importance  of  the 
missionary's  thorough  equipment  for  his  work 
before  he  sets  forth,  in  respect  of  physical  health 
and  vigour,  mental  gifts  and  intellectual  training 
and  acquirement.  Emphasize  as  you  may  the 
value  of  his  work  as  representative  of  the  best  in 
Christian  civilization,  his  work  as  educator  of 
those  who  are  newly  emerging  from  profound, 
age-long  ignorance,  his  work  as  philanthropist 
among  those  always  sunk  in  poverty,  those  often 


The  Missionary  of  To-day         249 

overwhelmed  by  dire  misfortune,  by  famine,  by 
plague,  those  left  homeless,  naked,  starving,  help- 
less, reduced  to  utter  despair  amid  the  devasta- 
tion following  ruthless  massacre.  You  cannot 
exaggerate  the  importance  of  all  this  work. 
But  first  and  last  and  all  the  time,  more,  far  more 
in  times  of  hopelessness  and  distress,  the  mis- 
sionary is  God's  herald  of  hope,  of  paternal  love. 
His  voice  and  his  life  is  a  clarion  call  to  that 
manly  endurance  and  struggle  which  wins  the 
noblest  victory  from  the  most  crushing  defeat. 

Amid  the  wandering,  the  groping,  the  moral 
catastrophes  of  human  life  the  missionary  goes 
bearing  the  compass,  the  lamp,  the  salvage 
apparatus  of  Christ's  Gospel.  He  goes  direct 
from  the  Master,  as  Peter  and  John  and  Paul 
went.  He  has  one  story  to  relate,  one  message 
to  bring,  one  boon  to  offer.  Considered  under 
this  aspect  of  his  mission,  he  is  indifferent  alike 
to  democracy  and  monarchy  in  the  state,  to 
episcopacy  and  to  Congregationalism  in  the 
church,  to  Oriental  or  Occidental  dress,  saluta- 
tions, habitations. 

Physical  and  moral  purity,  loyalty  to  God  as 
King  and  Father,  fidelity  in  service  to  men  as 
brothers,  all  this  is  part  and  parcel  of  his  equipment 
as  God's  herald,  as  Christ's  messenger.  In  spirit, 
if  not  literally,  he  will  go  forth  as  the  apostles 
went  during  their  life  with  Jesus,  without  scrip  or 
supply  of  gold  or  silver  or  apparel,  not  stopping 


250        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

by  the  way  to  make  and  receive  elaborate  saluta- 
tions. He  will  go  as  Elijah  went,  as  Isaiah  went, 
as  Paul  went  carrying  and  delivering  God's 
message.  He  must  be  fired  and  always  aglow 
with  the  enthusiasm  which  this  mission  inspires. 
Isaiah  saw  the  Lord  in  the  temple.  His  glory 
filled  the  temple.  The  cherubim  were  His 
servants.  All  the  hosts  of  heaven  with  the  saints 
on  earth  worshipped  Him.  The  live  coal  from 
the  altar  touched  Isaiah's  lips,  and  then,  then  to 
the  question,  "  Who  will  go  for  us  ?  "  the  newly 
anointed  prophet  answered,  "  Send  me." 

A  conviction  and  experience  like  this  furnishes 
to  the  missionary  something  more  and  better 
than  the  glow  of  youthful  enthusiasm  with  which 
he  set  out  on  his  life-work.  It  is  his  support 
and  his  stimulus  in  those  early  years  after  the 
very  first,  when  he  is  brought  face  to  face  with 
limitations  and  complex  and  perhaps  baffling 
conditions,  the  significance  of  which  it  was  impos- 
sible for  him  to  grasp  when  he  set  out. 

It  will  be  his  staff  and  consolation  when 
advancing  years  and  diminishing  strength,  with 
perhaps  greater  alacrity  and  clarity  of  spiritual 
vision,  tell  him  how  far  short  he  has  fallen  of  the 
realization  of  his  early  hopes.  At  the  same  time 
he  has  increasing  joy  in  the  knowledge  that 
institutions  he  has  helped  to  establish  and  in- 
fluences he  has  fostered  have  immortal  life.  He 
is  surrounded  by  groups  of  workers,  preachers, 


The  Missionary  of  To-day         251 

teachers,  leaders  in  business  and  society,  old 
pupils  of  his  own,  it  may  be,  whose  power  of 
precious  and  permanent  influence  upon  their 
countrymen  is  greater  than  his  own — a  foreign- 
er's— influence  could  ever  be,  and  he  gladly  sings 
the  Nunc  Dimittis. 

Taking  a  long  glance  backward  and  at  the 
same  time  a  long  look  forward,  one  feels  the 
thrill  of  the  stupendous  march  of  the  kingdom 
of  God  in  the  history  of  our  race.  How  potent 
are  the  apostle's  words,  a  ringing  challenge  alike 
to  those  who  would  oppose  and  those  who  would 
serve  the  cause  of  God  in  our  world :  "  You 
can  do  nothing  against  the  truth  but  for  the 
truth." 

Go  into  one  of  the  great  ship-building  yards 
of  our  day.  See  how  the  holes  are  made  in  the 
thick  steel  plates.  Is  there  any  pounding,  any 
noise,  any  expending  of  human  strength,  any 
measurable  time  required  to  make  those  holes  ? 
No !  the  finger  of  the  machine  cuts  the  hole 
through  the  steel  as  you  might  press  your  finger 
through  a  piece  of  soft  putty.  Moral  forces  are 
working  just  like  that.  They  are  everywhere, 
and,  early  or  late,  they  are  everlastingly  regnant. 
They  are  regnant  in  national  and  international 
affairs,  in  the  world  of  business,  not  yet,  alas,  in 
society  and  the  world  of  fashion,  but  elsewhere 
their  power  is  increasing  day  by  day. 

Throw  your  own  moral  and  spiritual  force  in 


252        Christian  and  Mohammedan 

the  conflict  before  you  in  undoubting  reliance  on 
the  vitality  of  these  forces.  Victory  awaits  every 
contestant  in  life's  battle  who  puts  his  unwaver- 
ing trust  in  God  and  in  those  spiritual  forces  that 
partake  of  His  life.  General  Sherman  did  not, 
with  mortal  eye,  see  the  swift-footed  Victory  at 
his  bridle  rein,  but  with  immortal  vision  he  did 
see  her  in  the  distance  and  hastened  on  to  the 
great  coronation. 

I  congratulate  you,  young  soldiers  of  Christ,  on 
the  age  in  which  you  live,  on  the  arena  where 
you  are  to  struggle,  and  at  the  last  when  your 
day  is  over,  where,  please  God,  you  are  to  be 
crowned. 

.  You  may  work  in  your  own  country,  in  the 
use  of  your  own  mother  tongue,  or  you  may  go 
into  some  part  of  the  immensely  wide  field  out- 
side your  native  land  and  tell  the  glad  tidings  to 
alien  peoples  in  a  language  now  new  to  you, 
though  ages  old. 

It  is  the  ceaseless,  the  insistent,  the  compelling 
cry  of  the  newly  awakening,  the  countless  millions 
of  India,  of  China,  of  Africa,  which  is  bound  to 
move  the  youth  of  Christendom  to-day  as  the 
fiery  eloquence  of  Saint  Bernard  of  Clairvaux 
moved  the  youth  of  Central  Europe  to  engage  in 
the  second  Crusade ;  as  the  call  of  the  beloved 
President  Lincoln  moved  our  youth  of  fifty  years 
ago  to  rally  to  the  defense  of  liberty  and  union 
in  our  fatherland. 


The  Missionary  of  To-day         253 

"  Blessed  are  the  feet  of  him  who  proclaims  the 
glad  tidings,  who  publishes  salvation."  There  is 
no  better  service  that  human  souls  can  render  in 
this  or  any  world. 


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First  Modern  Missionary  to  Mohammedans 
By  George  Smith    Illustrated,  Cloth,  $1.50  net 

Missions  and  Modern  History 

By  Robert  E.  Speer,  M.A. 
2  vols.,  8  vo..,  Cloth,  $4.00  net 


FLEMING   H.  REVELL  COMPANY 

Publishers 


BIOGRAPHY 


ROBERT  E.  SPEER,  D.  D. 

The  Foreign  Docffcor:  "The  Hakim  Sahib" 

A  Biography  of  Joseph  Plumb  Cochran,  M.D.,  of 
Persia.     Illustrated,  i^mo,  cloth,  net  $1.50. 

Dr.  Cochran  came  to  a  position  of  power  in  Western 
Persia  which  made  his  life  as  interesting  as  a  romance.  Hi 
was  one  of  the  central  figures  in  the  Kurdish  invasion  ai 
Persia,  and  was  the  chief  means  of  saving  the  city  of  Ursr- 
mia.  In  no  other  biography  is  there  as  full  an  account  of  the 
actual  medical  work  done  by  the  medical  missionary,  and  of 
the  problem  of  the  use  of  the  political  influence  acquired  by 
a  man  of  Dr.   Cochran's  gifts  and  opportunities. 

HENRY  D.  PORTER,  M.D.,  D.D. 

William  Scott  Ament  ^JSST&fucum. 

Illustrated,  8vo,  cloth,  net  $1.50. 

A  biography  of  one  of  the  most  honored  missionaries  of 

the  Congregational  Church,  whose  long  and  effective  service  in 

China    has    inscribed    his    name    high    in   the   annals   of   those 

whose  lives  have  been  given  to  the  uplift  of  their  fellowmen. 

MARY  GRIDLEY  ELUNWOOD 

Frank  Field  Ellinwood  ^fe-S^ 

His  Life  and  Work.     Illustrated,  cloth,  net  $1.00. 
A  charming  biography  of  one  of  the  greatest  missionary 
leaders  of  the   Nineteenth   Century. — Robert  B.  Speer. 

ANTONIO  ANDREA  ARRIGHI 

The  Story  of  Antonio  the  Galley  Slave 

With  Portrait,  i2mo,  cloth,  net  $1.25. 

"Reads  like  a  romance,  and  the  wonderful  thing  about 
it  is  that  it  is  true.  A  fervid  religious  experience,  a  passion 
for  service  and  good  intellectual  equipment  were  his  splendid 
preparation  for  a  great  missionary  work  among  his  country- 
men in  America." — Zion's  Herald. 

GEORGE  MULLER 

{~*  t±c\rcrt>  A/f ullAr    The  Modern  Apostle  of  Faith 

oeorge  xviuiier,     By  Frederick  g.  warne. 

New  Edition,  including  the  Later  Story  of  the  Bristol  Orphan 
Home.     Illustrated,  cloth,  net  75c. 

"What  deep  attractiveness  is  found  in  this  life  of  the 
great  and  simple-hearted  apostle." — Christian  Advocate. 

KINGSTON  DE  GRUCHE 

Dr.  Apricot  of  "Heaven-Below" 

Illustrated,  8vo,  cloth,  net  $1.00. 

■*  "No  one  who  has  read  this  book  will  ever  afterwards 
repeat  the  threadbare  objection,  "I  don't  believe  in  mia- 
aions." — Continent 


ilfi'mi1!?!    Theol°9|cal  Semmary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  01093  6575 


Date  Due 

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